Influence of food intake timing on daily variations of leptin and other metabolic variables in NZW rabbits

The aim of this study was to investigate circadian rhythms of plasma leptin and other metabolic variables in rabbits, to assess the influence of the timing of food intake and to investigate the relationship between leptin and lipid metabolites. Conclusions: The data of this study show clearly that the time of administration of food is a potent synchronizer of the circadian patterns of leptin and the other parameters investigated. The diurnal variations in leptin therefore depend on the “nutritional status” of the animal, rather than light cues, as Schoeller et al. (1997) and Ahima et al. (1996) also inferred in humans and mice. Leptin correlations with the variables investigated indicate that in rabbits leptin is an index of the lipid metabolism.