In pre-pubertal and pubertal boys with obesity, level of pro-inflammatory adipokines (leptin and IL-6) were correlated with those of pro-oxidative molecules such as thiobarbitouric acid reactive substances and protein carbonyls, while levels of adiponectin were associated to circulating anti-oxidative glutathione species and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). This evidence concerns the gene LEP and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.