A Study of the Relationship Between Body Mass Index (BMI) and Levels of Resistin, Ghrelin, and Certain Antioxidants in Obese Iraqi Adults

Abstract

Background: Obesity is a complex, multifactorial health condition that occurs from the build-up of too much body fat due to the interrelation between hormones, genes, and the surrounding environment.

Objective: The current study aimed to assess the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the levels of resistin, ghrelin, and some antioxidants (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)) in Iraqi adults.

Methods: The study was conducted in Baquba city, Diyala Governorate, from October 2025 to April 2026. The study group consisted of 88 Iraqi adults aged 18 to 65 years who attended Baquba Teaching Hospital and its specialized outpatient clinics. Participants were divided into three categories: healthy controls (n=28), overweight subjects (n=30), and obese subjects (n=30). Venous blood samples were collected under sterile conditions, and concentrations of resistin, ghrelin, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique (USCN Life Science Inc.). Results of the current investigation were calculated by SPSS using IBM SPSS Statistics and GraphPad Prism.

Results: The results revealed non-significant demographic variations among the groups (gender and age). Additionally, no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed in resistin levels between the study groups. In contrast, levels of ghrelin and antioxidants (SOD and GPx) decreased significantly with increasing body weight (P < 0.001). According to Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, ghrelin levels demonstrated superior diagnostic utility in distinguishing between the study groups, whereas resistin levels showed limited diagnostic value.

Conclusion: These findings suggest a clear association between elevated body mass index (BMI) and variations in certain biochemical and antioxidant biomarkers. These results support the concept of obesity as a metabolic disorder associated with inflammation and oxidative.