Abstract
Associations between body characteristics (body composition: fat mass, muscle mass, cell, and water mass as well as body proportion—BMI), the 2D:4D digit ratio, and the concentrations of cortisol and vitamin (25-OH)D among Polish children have not been studied before. A total of 133 (73 girls and 60 boys) healthy Polish children aged 7–11 years were examined. The investigation was divided into three parts: measuring (the length of the second and fourth fingers in both hands, body composition, and body height and mass), questionnaires (socioeconomic status), and laboratory investigations (25-OH vitamin D and cortisol concentrations in saliva measured with ELISA methods). Boys with digit ratios below 1 had lower vitamin D concentration than those with digit ratios equal to or higher than 1 (Z = − 2.33; p = 0.019). Only boys with the male-typical pattern of 2D:4D digit ratio tended to have a lower 25-OH vitamin D concentration in saliva. Thus, it might indicate an effect of prenatal programming on the concentrations of steroid hormones in later life. Neither vitamin D, 2D:4D digit ratio nor the cortisol level was associated with the body components or proportions. More studies are needed to evaluate the molecular and genetic background of this phenomenon.
Highlights
Associations between body characteristics, the 2D:4D digit ratio, and the concentrations of cortisol and vitamin (25-OH)D among Polish children have not been studied before
We investigated if there is an association between cortisol concentration and body composition and BMI
Multiple regression models designed for all predictor variables (FM%, MM%, BCM%, TBW%, and BMI), separately for boys and girls, included the following outcome variables: vitamin D concentration, cortisol concentration, 2D:4D digit ratio, standard of living, and parental education
Summary
Associations between body characteristics (body composition: fat mass, muscle mass, cell, and water mass as well as body proportion—BMI), the 2D:4D digit ratio, and the concentrations of cortisol and vitamin (25-OH)D among Polish children have not been studied before. Boys with the male-typical pattern of 2D:4D digit ratio tended to have a lower 25-OH vitamin D concentration in saliva. It might indicate an effect of prenatal programming on the concentrations of steroid hormones in later life. Neither vitamin D, 2D:4D digit ratio nor the cortisol level was associated with the body components or proportions. Richards et al.[10] repeated the study of Lutchmaya et al They found no statistically significant association between the digit length and the levels of the second-trimester sex hormones. Zhang et al.[15] and Hönekopp et al.[16] showed with meta-analyses that the current testosterone levels in saliva and serum are not statistically significantly associated with digit ratio. According to Heijboer et al.[24] and Lerchbaum et al.[25], vitamin D supplementation was not associated with an increase in testosterone level
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