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Pediatrics

Body mass index across development and adolescent hair cortisol: the role of persistence, variability, and timing of exposure

International Journal of Obesity volume 49, pages 125–132 (2025)Cite this article

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Abstract

Background

Research suggests a putative role of the glucocorticoid stress hormone cortisol in the accumulation of adiposity. However, obesity and weight fluctuations may also wear and tear physiological systems promoting adaptation, affecting cortisol secretion. This possibility remains scarcely investigated in longitudinal research. This study tests whether trajectories of body mass index (BMI) across the first 15 years of life are associated with hair cortisol concentration (HCC) measured two years later and whether variability in BMI and timing matter.

Methods

BMI (kg/m2) was prospectively measured at twelve occasions between age 5 months and 15 years. Hair was sampled at age 17 in 565 participants. Sex, family socioeconomic status, and BMI measured concurrently to HCC were considered as control variables.

Results

Latent class analyses identified three BMI trajectories: “low-stable” (59.2%, n = 946), “moderate” (32.6%, n = 507), and “high-rising” (8.2%, n = 128). BMI variability was computed by dividing the standard deviation of an individual’s BMI measurements by the mean of these measurements. Findings revealed linear effects, such that higher HCC was noted for participants with moderate BMI trajectories in comparison to low-stable youth (β = 0.10, p = 0.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [0.02–0.40]); however, this association was not detected in the high-rising BMI youth (β = −0.02, p = 0.71, 95% CI = [−0.47–0.32]). Higher BMI variability across development predicted higher cortisol (β = 0.17, p = 0.003, 95% CI = [0.10–4.91]), additively to the contribution of BMI trajectories. BMI variability in childhood was responsible for that finding, possibly suggesting a timing effect.

Conclusions

This study strengthens empirical support for BMI-HCC association and suggests that more attention should be devoted to BMI fluctuations in addition to persistent trajectories of BMI.

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Fig. 1: Body mass index (BMI) trajectory groups.
Fig. 2: Mean level of hair cortisol (log-transformed standardized residual) as a function of BMI trajectory class.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study were obtained from a third party, the Institut de la statistique du Québec, and are not publicly available due to the privacy legislation in the province of Québec, Canada. Requests to access these data can be directed to the Institut de la statistique du Québec’s Research Data Access Services - Home (www.quebec.ca). For more information, contact Marc-Antoine Côté-Marcil (marc-antoine.cote-marcil@stat.gouv.qc.ca).

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the participants who have given their time to take part in this study. Christina Y. Cantave holds a postdoctoral fellowship grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Isabelle Ouellet-Morin is the Canada Research Chair in the Developmental Origins of Vulnerability and Resilience. Michel Boivin is a Canada Research Chair in Child Development. Sonia J Lupien is a Canada Research Chair in Human Stress and is supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Foundation grant. Richard E. Tremblay was funded by the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and the Canada Research Chair in Child Development. Marie-Claude Geoffroy holds a CRC (TIER-2) in Youth Suicide Prevention. The authors would like to acknowledge Elizabeth Shirtcliff for reviewing the manuscript. These results were presented at the ISPNE 2020 conference.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 51 E River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Christina Y. Cantave

  2. Translational Neuroscience, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA

    Paula L. Ruttle

  3. Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal, C.P. 6128, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada

    Sylvana M. Coté

  4. Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, 3175 Côte-Sainte-Catherine Road, Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada

    Sylvana M. Coté, Frank Vitaro & Mara Brendgen

  5. Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Research Center of the Montreal Mental Health University Institute, 7331, rue Hochelaga, Montréal, QC, H1N 3V2, Canada

    Sonia J. Lupien & Isabelle Ouellet-Morin

  6. Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, C.P. 6128, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada

    Sonia J. Lupien

  7. McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, 6875 LaSalle Boulevard, Montreal, QC, H4A 1R3, Canada

    Marie-Claude Geoffroy

  8. School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal, C.P. 6128, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada

    Frank Vitaro

  9. Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888 succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada

    Mara Brendgen

  10. Department of Pediatrics and Psychology, University of Montreal, C.P. 6128, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada

    Richard Tremblay

  11. School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Population Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Richard Tremblay

  12. School of Psychology, Laval University, 2325 rue des Bibliothèques, Bureau 1116, Quebec City, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada

    Michel Boivin

  13. School of Criminology, University of Montreal, C.P. 6128, succursale Centre-ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada

    Isabelle Ouellet-Morin

Authors
  1. Christina Y. Cantave
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Contributions

CYC: Responsible for data analyses, interpretation and the writing of the paper. PLR: Responsible for study design, data analyses and interpretation, and wrote a first draft of the paper. SMC: Data collection and provided feedback on the report. SJL: Data collection and provided feedback on the report. MCG: Provided feedback on the report. MB: Provided feedback on the report. RT: Data collection and provided feedback on the report. MB: Data collection and provided feedback on the report. IOM: Responsible for study design, data collection, data analyses, writing the paper, interpretation, and provided feedback on the report.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Isabelle Ouellet-Morin.

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Competing interests

The present study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Quebec Funds for Research (FQRS, FQRSC), and the Government of Quebec through the Institut de la Statistique du Québec who collected the data. The funding sources had no involvement in the interpretation of data, writing of the report, and the decision to submit the article for publication. All authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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Cantave, C.Y., Ruttle, P.L., Coté, S.M. et al. Body mass index across development and adolescent hair cortisol: the role of persistence, variability, and timing of exposure. Int J Obes 49, 125–132 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-024-01640-1

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