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

Abstract

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.

Study on the Situation of Growth and Development of Kindergarten Children and the Relationship between Vitamin D and Body Composition, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China

“…Consistent with previous research [22][23][24] ,our study found no significant correlation between Vitamin D levels and various measures of body composition, including BMI, BFM, SLM, and SMM.…”

The 2D:4D index is associated with the development of excess body weight in adults, but not with the rate of weight loss following bariatric surgery

“…Similarly, Klimek et al, based on studies performed in men, indicate that low 2D:4D (stronger prenatal androgenization) is associated with higher body weight in childhood and adolescence 44 . At the same time, other studies of children and adolescents from various populations did not confirm the relationship between 2D: 4D and relative body weight 45 , 46 .…”

Evaluation of digit ratio (2D:4D) in breast cancer patients

“…Since it is known that testosterone is associated with muscle mass growth and estrogen affects adipogenesis, the 2D:4D ratio was evaluated to see if it could be an indicator of fat mass, muscle mass and body proportions in children and it was shown that it could be an indicator for muscle mass development in girls in early childhood 22 . In other studies on children, the relationship between 2D:4D ratio and cortisol, vitamin D level and body composition, and the relationship between 2D:4D ratio and fitness level were evaluated 23 , 24 . There are studies suggesting that prenatal sex steroid exposure may be a risk factor for migraine in adults and may be associated with birth weight, BMI and muscle strength in children 25 , 26 .…”