Evaluation of BMI and Serum Kisspeptin Levels in Female Young Adults Engaging in Regular Exercise

Abstract

Background: Kisspeptin integrates reproductive and metabolic signalling, but its relationship with body mass index (BMI) and regular exercise in apparently healthy young women remains unclear.  Aims: This study aimed to determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI), exercise patterns, and circulating serum kisspeptin concentrations among apparently healthy young female adults aged 18–25 years. Study Design: This was a cross-sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted between January and March 2026 among apparently healthy young female adults at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi, Anambra State. Methodology: Ninety participants comprising 45 physically active females and 45 non-exercising controls were recruited. The physically active participants were female athletes involved in basketball, badminton, and football. They were categorized according to BMI as low, normal, or high and according to exercise frequency as <3 or >3 times per week. Approximately 5 mL of venous blood was collected during the early follicular phase (day 2 or 3) of the menstrual cycle. Serum kisspeptin was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data were analyzed using independent-samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation, with significance set at P < .05. Results: The physically active group had significantly lower BMI than controls (21.60 ± 2.82 vs. 23.40 ± 4.65 kg/m²; P = .029), but serum kisspeptin did not differ significantly between groups (193.41 ± 14.46 vs. 196.04 ± 10.58 pg/mL; P = .328). Kisspeptin also did not differ across BMI categories (F = 0.436; P = .650) and showed no significant correlation with BMI (r = 0.065; P = .671) or age (r = 0.200; P = .188). However, participants exercising >3 times/week had significantly higher kisspeptin concentrations than those exercising <3 times/week (198.11 ± 12.14 vs. 174.63 ± 3.26 pg/mL; t = -10.225; df = 42.601; P < .001). Conclusion: Exercise frequency was significantly associated with serum kisspeptin concentrations, whereas BMI and age were not. These findings suggest that exercise frequency may be more closely associated with circulating kisspeptin than BMI among apparently healthy young female adults among African population.