The aim of this study was to determine the effects of progressively increasing work rate exercise on leptin production, which is an important factor on body metabolic control.

Total of 34 obese female patients, body mass index (BMI) 36.3±0.6 kg/m² were performed a progressively increasing work rate exercise test (15 W/min) using an electromagnetically braked cycle ergometer. Venous blood samples were taken at rest and at the end of the maximal exercise performance and analysed for leptin using ELISA method. Body compositions were determined using leg-to-leg Bioelectrical Impedance Analyses method. A paired t-test and linear regression were used for the statistical analyses and P < 0.05 accepted as a significant.

In obese patients, maximal exercise performance and work production for each kilogram body weight were 92.6±3.3 watts and 1.053±0.04 Watt/kg, respectively. Serum leptin concentration was found to be 22.9±1.9 ng/ml at rest and 23.5±1.9 ng/ml at maximal exercise performance, which was not statistically different (P = 0.2). Linear regression analysis was found to be R = 0.963 (P = 0.0001) between rest and maximal exercise leptin concentrations.

The progressively increasing work rate exercise test do not have an important effects on serum leptin concentration.