Relationship of chemerin with nutritional status and appetitive traits in early childhood: a cross-sectional study.

UNLABELLED: Chemerin is a recently identified adipokine implicated in appetite regulation and energy metabolism. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum chemerin levels, nutritional status, and appetitive traits in early childhood. This cross-sectional study included 85 children aged 2-9 years. Appetite-related traits were assessed using the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ). Anthropometric measurements were obtained, and fasting venous blood samples were collected for biochemical analyses, including serum chemerin levels. Based on the CEBQ results, participants with a food approach score below 39.50 and a food avoidant score above 58.50 were classified as having appetite-related undernutrition (n = 44) and the others as normal appetite (n = 41). Biochemical and anthropometric parameters, as well as chemerin levels, were compared between the two groups. In addition, correlation analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between chemerin levels and biochemical parameters, anthropometric measurements, and CEBQ scores. Serum chemerin concentrations were significantly lower in children with appetite-related undernutrition compared with those with normal appetite (median [IQR] 562.4 [12.6-946.6] vs. 1264.9 [976.3-1765.0] ng/L, p < 0.05). Chemerin levels were positively correlated with food approach traits and inversely correlated with food avoidance traits. Moreover, positive associations were observed with LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, albumin, and calcium levels.

CONCLUSION: Serum chemerin levels were significantly lower in children with appetite-related undernutrition and were associated with both anthropometric measures and appetitive traits, suggesting a link between chemerin and nutritional status in early childhood.

WHAT IS KNOWN: • Chemerin is an adipokine involved in energy metabolism, adipogenesis, and inflammatory processes. • Elevated chemerin levels have been reported in obesity and metabolic disorders, but data on appetite status in children are limited.

WHAT IS NEW: • This is the first study evaluating serum chemerin levels according to appetite status in healthy children. • Children with appetite-related undernutrition had significantly lower chemerin levels, associated with anthropometric and appetite-related traits.