Adiposity and cortisol response to stress in Indian adolescents

Journal article

Objective
We examined associations of different adiposity measures with cortisol responses during the Trier Social Stress Test for children (TSST-C).

Design
Descriptive study.

Setting
Holdsworth Memorial Hospital, Mysore, India.

Participants
Adolescents aged 13.5y from a birth cohort were recruited (N=269, 133 boys).

Methods
The stressor (TSST-C) was 5-minutes each of public speaking and mental arithmetic tasks in front of two unfamiliar ‘judges’. Salivary cortisol concentrations were measured at baseline and at regular intervals after TSST-C. Weight, height, sub scapular and triceps skinfold thickness, and waist and hip circumference were measured, and percentage body fat was estimated (fat%; bioimpedance). Body mass index (BMI) and Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were calculated. All variables were converted into within-cohort SD scores before analysis. Stressinduced change in cortisol concentrations from baseline (cortisol response) was examined in relation to adiposity.

Results
Stress increased cortisol concentrations significantly from baseline (mean (SD): 5.5 (6.4) ng/mL; P<0.001). Higher WHR was associated with lower cortisol response at 20 and 30-minutes after stress (~0.13 SD decrease in cortisol response per SD higher WHR, P<0.05). Higher fat% was also associated with lower cortisol response only in girls 20-minutes post-stress (0.23 SD lower response per SD higher fat%, P=0.004). Sum of skinfold thickness and BMI were not associated with cortisol responses.

Conclusions
Abdominal adiposity is associated with reduced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis reactivity to stress in this adolescent population.

Authors: Krishnaveni, GV; Jones, A; Veena, SR; Somashekara, R; Karat, SC

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Springer
• Journal: Indian Pediatrics
• Volume: 55
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 125-130
• Publication date: 2017-12-14
• Acceptance date: 2017-10-04
• DOI: 10.1007/s13312-018-1244-1
• EISSN: 0974-7559
• ISSN: 0019-6061
• Pmid: 29242410
• Language: English
• Keywords: Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System; Hydrocortisone; Adiposity; waist-to-hip ratio; obesity; trier social stress test-children; Psychological Tests; Pituitary-Adrenal System; stress response