LEP and Other metabolic disease: Because lower plasma adiponectin levels and higher leptin, CRP, and IL-6 levels are associated with metabolic disorders [16, 24, 25], our findings suggest that the higher risk of chronic disease among Asians compared to Caucasians, particularly within the normal-weight range, may be in part due to lower adiponectin rather than leptin levels or proinflammatory marker levels.