Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 1, 2026

Collecting Hair Samples for Hair Cortisol Analysis in African Americans
Published on: June 10, 2018
Is serum cortisol associated with body fat distribution in postmenopausal women?
1Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.
Abstract:
The associations of body fat distribution, as measured by waist-to-hip circumference ratio (WHR), with fasting serum cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were examined in 72 healthy postmenopausal women. WHR was not significantly correlated (P greater than 0.05) with either cortisol (r = -0.11) or ACTH (r = 0.10). There were no differences in either mean serum cortisol or ACTH for women in the highest tertile of WHR compared to those in the lowest tertile of WHR, even after adjustment for overall body mass. These results suggest that neither cortisol or ACTH is associated with body fat distribution in postmenopausal women.
Related Concept Videos
Hypodermis
Hormones of the Adrenal Glands
The adrenal cortex, a powerhouse of hormone synthesis, generates over two dozen corticosteroid hormones. The zona glomerulosa produces mineralocorticoids, exemplified by aldosterone, influencing the electrolyte composition of body fluids. The synthesis of glucocorticoids such as cortisol and corticosterone...
Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation
Considering cholesterol and...
Major Hormones and Their Functions
Oxytocin, produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland, plays a role in social bonding, childbirth, and lactation.
Cushing Syndrome I: Introduction
Cushing Syndrome II: Pathophysiology

