Fat mass, and not diet, has a large effect on postprandial leptin but not on adiponectin concentrations in cats

Abstract Leptin and adiponectin play important roles in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in different species. Information is limited on the effects of diet, weight gain, and fat mass on their concentrations in cats. This study compared fasting and postprandial blood leptin and total adiponectin concentrations before and after 8 wk of ad libitum feeding to promote weight gain in adult cats (n = 32) fed either a low-carbohydrate, high-protein (23% and 47% ME) or a high-carbohydrate, low-protein (51% and 21% ME) diet. There were significant effects of total, abdominal, and nonabdominal fat mass, but not diet or body weight, on mean 24-h and peak leptin ( P P ≤ 0.01). Adiponectin was lower than fasting at some time points during the postprandial period in both groups ( P ≤ 0.05). For both fasting and mean 24-h adiponectin, there was no significant diet effect ( P ≥ 0.19) or changes in weight gain relative to when cats were lean ( P ≥ 0.29). In conclusion, fat mass, and not diet, has a large effect on postprandial leptin but not adiponectin concentrations in cats.