Assessment of serum concentrations of the “satiety hormone” — peptide YY concentration in body weight disorders in girls with anorexia nervosa and obesity
2026-02-17
Katarzyna Gołąb-Jenerał, Małgorzata Blaska, Karolina Ziora-Jakutowicz, Elżbieta Świętochowska, Agnieszka Zachurzok, Katarzyna Ziora
Introduction: Peptide YY (PYY), a key satiety hormone, exhibits altered serum concentrations in body weight disorders, although its role remains debated. Conflicting adult studies highlight the need to clarify PYY 1-36 dynamics in pediatric populations with anorexia nervosa (AN) and obesity (OB). Material and methods: Fasting serum PYY 1-36 concentrations were analyzed in 199 girls: 58 with restrictive AN [median age 15.0 (interquartile range; IQR): 14.0–16.0 years], 52 with OB [14.3 (12.3–16.3) years], and 89 healthy controls (C) [16.5 (15.5–17.5) years]. Anthropometric and metabolic/hormonal parameters were assessed. Group differences were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test. Relationships between fasting serum peptide YY (PYY) 1-36 concentrations and demographic/clinical parameters were examined using Spearman rank correlation coefficients. Results: AN patients had significantly higher PYY 1-36 levels [77.2 (71.1–82.4) pg/mL] compared to OB [36.0 (34.3–38.5) pg/mL] and C [49.7 (46.7–51.5) pg/mL; p < 0.001]. A strong inverse correlation between PYY and body mass index (BMI) was observed across all subjects (Rho = −0.8, p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC)-derived cut-offs differentiated AN (> 59.04 pg/mL; sensitivity 95%, specificity 100%) and OB (< 43.18 pg/mL; sensitivity 89%, specificity 90%) from C. Conclusions: 1. Our research underscores significant PYY concentration disparities among weight disorders. 2. Significant differences in PYY concentrations in girls with body weight disorders as compared to healthy girls with normal body weight may indicate a role of this peptide in the body’s adaptation to maintain energy homeostasis in connection with the ongoing disease.