['To evaluate the effects of fasting on serum leptin levels in lean children.', 'Seventeen children, age 7.7 +/- 4.3 years with mean body mass index (BMI) of 16.7 +/- 2.7 kg/m(2), underwent standard diagnostic fasts for suspected hypoglycemia. Blood was sampled at 6-hour intervals for glucose, insulin, C-peptide, leptin, free and total insulin-like growth factor-1, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1, growth hormone, cortisol, ketones, and free fatty acids.', 'Subjects fasted 15 to 40 hours, and initial leptin levels were related to BMI and age. Leptin declined by 0.5 ng/mL per each fasting hour (P = .008), using a longitudinal mixed effects model. Leptin dropped significantly from an initial mean +/- SEM during the first 6 hours of 15.9 +/- 5.5 ng/mL to 3.5 +/- 0.9 ng/mL at the end of fasting. Mixed longitudinal effects models demonstrated that leptin was significantly related to insulin over time (P < .0001) as well as C-peptide (P < .0001). Significant relations were also seen with total insulin-like growth factor-1 over time, beta-hydroxybutyrate and insulin, and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 and insulin.'] Do leptin levels decline steadily during prolonged fasting in lean children?