Objective    To measure serum bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) concentration in adult women and to determine correlation between BMP-7 concentration and obesity

so as to provide a new target for obesity therapy.     Methods    Sixty-five obese women were enrolled in an obesity group

and one hundred and thirty-four adult women having normal body mass indexes were enrolled in a control group. Clinical data including age

height

wei

ght

systolic blood pressure

diastolic blood pressure

waist circumference

and hip circumference were recorded. Then body mass index and waist-hip ratio were calculated. Metabolic parameters such as serum total cholesterol

triglyceride

LDL-cholesterol

HDL-cholesterol

fasting glucose

and uric acid were tested. Serum BMP-7 concentration was detected through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The parameters of the two groups were compared. The correlation between serum BMP-7 concentration and metabolic parameters were analyzed.     Results    Serum BMP-7 concentration in the obesity group was significantly lower than that in the control group (

P

<

0.01). Serum BMP-7 concentration was negatively correlated with age

body mass index

systolic blood pressure

waist circumference

total cholesterol

and LDL-cholesterol (

r

=-0.181

-0.248

-0.143

-0.148

-0.169

and -0.177

respectively

P

<

0.05). Multiple stepwise regression analysis results showed that the body mass index was the only independent factor influencing the serum BMP-7 concentration after being adjusted by age

body mass index

systolic blood pressure

waist circumference

total cholesterol

LDL-cholesterol

diastolic blood pressure

mean arterial blood pressure

waist-hip ratio

uric acid

triglyceride

HDL-cholesterol

and fasting glucose.     Conclusion    In adult women

serum BMP-7 concentration is negatively correlated with body mass index

suggesting that BMP-7 may be a potential target for woman obesity therapy.