Abstract
ObjectiveChronic cortisol exposure is hypothesized to contribute to obesity. This study examined associations between hair cortisol concentrations, a novel indicator of long‐term cortisol exposure, and adiposity in a large population‐based sample.MethodsData were from 2,527 men and women aged 54 and older (98% white British) participating in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Hair cortisol concentrations were determined from the scalp‐nearest 2 cm hair segment, and height, weight, and waist circumference were objectively measured. Covariates included age, sex, socioeconomic status, smoking status, diabetes, and arthritis.ResultsIn cross‐sectional analyses, hair cortisol concentrations were positively correlated with weight (r = 0.102, P < 0.001), BMI (r = 0.101, P < 0.001), and waist circumference (r = 0.082, P = 0.001) and were significantly elevated in participants with obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) (F = 6.58, P = 0.001) and raised waist circumference (≥102 cm in men, ≥88 cm in women) (F = 4.87, P = 0.027). Hair cortisol levels were also positively associated with the persistence of obesity (F = 12.70, P < 0.001), evaluated in retrospect over 4 years.ConclusionsChronic exposure to elevated cortisol concentrations, assessed in hair, is associated with markers of adiposity and with the persistence of obesity over time.
Highlights
Obesity is one of the leading risk factors for mortality worldwide, substantially increasing the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancers [1]; understanding the factors that promote the onset or maintenance of obesity has important therapeutic implications
We examined cross-sectional associations between hair cortisol and weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, weight status, and waist circumference category and looked at how hair cortisol related to the persistence of obesity over time
Hair cortisol was significantly correlated with body weight, BMI (r 5 0.101, P < 0.001), and waist circumference (r 5 0.082, P < 0.001), with higher levels of cortisol associated with greater adiposity
Summary
Obesity is one of the leading risk factors for mortality worldwide, substantially increasing the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancers [1]; understanding the factors that promote the onset or maintenance of obesity has important therapeutic implications. Cortisol has a broad range of physiological effects throughout the human body and plays a role in glucose and lipid metabolism, body composition, and immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory responses [4]. It is possible that long-term hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the neuroendocrine system that regulates cortisol levels, may contribute to the development of obesity and the metabolic syndrome in otherwise healthy individuals. Exposure to a physiological or psychological stressor activates the HPA axis, resulting in the release of cortisol. Chronic stress—and chronically elevated levels of cortisol—may promote obesity through effects on fat accumulation. In the presence of insulin, cortisol promotes triglyceride accumulation and retention in visceral fat depots which results in increased abdominal fat [5]. Animal studies have shown that chronic exposure to physical and psychological stressors increases deposition of visceral fat [6,7]
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