Abstract
BackgroundCortisol is a steroid hormone acting as a stress hormone, which is crucial in regulating homeostasis. Previous studies have linked cortisol concentration to body mass and body composition.MethodsThe investigations were carried out in 2016–2017. A total of 176 children aged 6–13 years in primary schools in central Poland were investigated. Three types of measurements were performed: anthropometric (body weight and height, waist and hip circumferences), body composition (fat mass FM (%), muscle mass – MM (%), body cellular mass - BCM (%), total body water - TBW (%)), and cortisol concentration using saliva of the investigated individuals. Information about standard of living, type of feeding after birth, parental education and maternal trauma during pregnancy was obtained with questionnaires.ResultsThe results of regression models after removing the environmental factors (parental education, standard of living, type of feeding after birth, and maternal trauma during pregnancy) indicate a statistically significant association between the cortisol concentration and fat mass and muscle mass. The cortisol concentration was negatively associated with FM (%) (Beta=-0.171; p = 0.026), explaining 2.32 % of the fat mass variability and positively associated with MM (%) (Beta = 0.192; p = 0.012) explaining 3.09 % of the muscle mass variability.ConclusionsCortisol concentration affects fat and muscle mass among Polish children.Trial registrationThe Ethical Commission at the University of Lodz (nr 19/KBBN-UŁ/II/2016).
Highlights
Cortisol is a steroid hormone acting as a stress hormone, which is crucial in regulating homeostasis
Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex, widely known as a stress hormone, crucial in the regulation of homeostasis
This study aimed to assess if the cortisol concentration is associated with the composition and proportion of Polish children stratified according to parental education, the standard of living, type of feeding after birth, and maternal trauma during pregnancy
Summary
Cortisol is a steroid hormone acting as a stress hormone, which is crucial in regulating homeostasis. Previous studies have linked cortisol concentration to body mass and body composition. Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex, widely known as a stress hormone, crucial in the regulation of homeostasis. Cortisol acts as a neuroendocrine mediator of stress responses in organs and effector tissues such as the brain, cardiovascular system, immune system, fat, and muscle tissue [1]. The activation of intracellular glucocorticoid receptors leads to changes in Numerous studies of the association between body mass/proportion and stress level have been performed. The diurnal salivary cortisol rhythm is associated with childhood obesity. Dai et al (2021) [8] showed that lower first-in-morning diurnal and increased night cortisol levels were associated with increased body fat
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