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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
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Increased Cortisol and Cortisone Levels in Overweight Children
Lanling Chu1, Kangwei Shen2, Ping Liu3
1Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China (mainland).
Medical Science Monitor Basic Research
|February 10, 2017
Summary
Higher cortisol and cortisone levels in children are linked to overweight. Family diet and maternal weight also correlate with childhood obesity, suggesting a complex interplay of factors.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Metabolic Health
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- The relationship between cortisol/cortisone levels and childhood overweight remains unclear.
- Parental BMI and family dietary habits are potential contributing factors to childhood obesity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare salivary and urinary cortisol/cortisone levels in overweight versus normal-weight children.
- To investigate correlations between children's BMI, parental BMI, and family dietary behavior scores.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 52 overweight and 53 normal-weight children (aged 4-5 years).
- Measurement of salivary cortisol (SF), salivary cortisone (SE), urinary cortisol (UF), and urinary cortisone (UE) using HPLC-MS/MS.
- Assessment of family dietary behavior using a parent-completed questionnaire.
Main Results:
- Overweight children exhibited significantly higher average cortisol and cortisone levels.
- Positive, weak-to-moderate correlations were found between children's BMI and all measured cortisol/cortisone levels (SF, SE, UF, UE).
- Children's BMI correlated with maternal BMI (mBMI) and was significantly associated with the family dietary behavior questionnaire score (QS).
Conclusions:
- Cortisol and cortisone levels are associated with childhood overweight.
- 11b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2) activities did not differ significantly between groups.
- Unhealthy family diets and maternal overweight/obesity are linked to higher childhood BMI and increased prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity.
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