Adiposity, Weight Change, and Urinary Melatonin Levels among Men in the Multiethnic Cohort

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Metabolic Health
• Cancer Epidemiology

Background:

• Low 6-sulfatoxymelatonin, a melatonin metabolite, is associated with cancer and cardiometabolic diseases.
• Previous research primarily focused on White and female populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between adult adiposity and 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels.
• To examine these associations in a racially and ethnically diverse male population.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 4,078 men in the Multiethnic Cohort.
• Measured adiposity at enrollment and 6-sulfatoxymelatonin in urine samples collected over a decade.
• Employed multivariable linear regression models, analyzing associations separately by race/ethnicity.

Main Results:

• Obesity was significantly associated with lower 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels (obese: -18.1%).
• Increased weight gain during adulthood also correlated with reduced 6-sulfatoxymelatonin.
• These inverse associations were consistent across racial and ethnic groups.

Conclusions:

• Obesity shows an inverse relationship with melatonin levels in a diverse male population.
• Findings are significant given disparities in obesity rates among minority men.
• Melatonin may serve as a biomarker for obesity-associated cancers and elucidate mechanisms of cancer disparities.