Beta-endorphin response to exogenous corticotrophin-releasing hormone in obese women with different patterns of body fat distribution.

Obese individuals may be characterized by higher than normal basal and stimulated p-endorphin plasma concentrations, which suggests an increased activity of the opioid system. This study was carried out to investigate whether the regulation of p-endorphin secretion may be different in different phenotypes of obesity. Twenty-two obese women (body mass index greater than 30 kg/m 2 ) without other endocrine and metabolic abnormalities were investigated. A group of seven normal weight healthy women matched for age served as controls. According to the protocol, obese women included in the study had a waist-to-hip ratio higher than 0.85 (n=9) or lower than 0.80 (n=13). The former were defined as having abdominal type and the latter peripheral type body fat distribution