Associations between second to fourth digit ratio, cortisol, vitamin D, and body composition among Polish children

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 7029 - 9
• Main Authors: Pruszkowska-Przybylska, Paulina, Sitek, Aneta, Rosset, Iwona, Sobalska-Kwapis, Marta, Słomka, Marcin, Strapagiel, Dominik, Żądzińska, Elżbieta, Morling, Niels
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 29-03-2021; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/45; 692/308; 692/700; Body composition; Body fat; Body height; Children; Children & youth; Cortisol; Hormones; Humanities and Social Sciences; multidisciplinary; Saliva; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Socioeconomics; Steroid hormones; Vitamin D
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86521-7

Associations between body characteristics (body composition: fat mass, muscle mass, cell, and water mass as well as body proportion—BMI), the 2D:4D digit ratio, and the concentrations of cortisol and vitamin (25-OH)D among Polish children have not been studied before. A total of 133 (73 girls and 60 boys) healthy Polish children aged 7–11 years were examined. The investigation was divided into three parts: measuring (the length of the second and fourth fingers in both hands, body composition, and body height and mass), questionnaires (socioeconomic status), and laboratory investigations (25-OH vitamin D and cortisol concentrations in saliva measured with ELISA methods). Boys with digit ratios below 1 had lower vitamin D concentration than those with digit ratios equal to or higher than 1 (Z = − 2.33; p = 0.019). Only boys with the male-typical pattern of 2D:4D digit ratio tended to have a lower 25-OH vitamin D concentration in saliva. Thus, it might indicate an effect of prenatal programming on the concentrations of steroid hormones in later life. Neither vitamin D, 2D:4D digit ratio nor the cortisol level was associated with the body components or proportions. More studies are needed to evaluate the molecular and genetic background of this phenomenon.