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Associations among Education, Cortisol Rhythm, and BMI in Blue-collar Women

  1. Dr. Mark Daniel1,2,
  2. D. Spencer Moore1,2,
  3. Seamus Decker2,
  4. Leigh Belton3,
  5. Brenda DeVellis4,
  6. Anne Doolen5,
  7. Marci K. Campbell6,*

Article first published online: 6 SEP 2012

DOI: 10.1038/oby.2006.42

Issue

Obesity

Obesity

Volume 14, Issue 2, pages 327–335, February 2006

Additional Information

How to Cite

Daniel, M., Moore, D. S., Decker, S., Belton, L., DeVellis, B., Doolen, A. and Campbell, M. K. (2006), Associations among Education, Cortisol Rhythm, and BMI in Blue-collar Women. Obesity, 14: 327–335. doi: 10.1038/oby.2006.42

Author Information

  1. 1

    Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Faculté de Medecine, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada

  2. 2

    Axe Santé des Populations, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada

  3. 3

    Center for Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

  4. 4

    Department of Health Behavior & Health Education, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

  5. 5

    Migrant Benevolent Association, Salemburg, North Carolina

  6. 6

    Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

* Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Hôtel-Dieu, Centre de Recherche, Axe Santé des Populations, 3875, rue Saint-Urbain, Montréal, Québec H2W 1V1, Canada. E-mail: mark.daniel@umontreal.ca

  1. The costs of publication of this article were defrayed, in part, by the payment of page charges. This article must, therefore, be hereby marked “advertisement” in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 6 SEP 2012
  2. Article first published online: 6 SEP 2012
  3. Received for review April 19, 2005; Accepted in final form December 02, 2005

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Keywords:

  • salivary cortisol;
  • BMI;
  • education;
  • positive affect;
  • chronic stress

Abstract

Objective: This study sought to test whether a biological measure of chronic stress, Δ cortisol, was related to BMI and whether the relationship between Δ cortisol and BMI varied according to education and positive affect.

Research Methods and Procedures: One hundred fifty-four women from a blue-collar women's health project in 11 industrial sites in rural North Carolina provided saliva for cortisol assays for a substudy on “stress.” Δ Cortisol, the difference between awakening and midday cortisol measures representing diurnal decline, was calculated (lower values = greater stress). BMI was regressed on Δ cortisol, education, and positive affect. Analyses were controlled for age, race, and worksite. Standardized β-coefficients were calculated.

Results: For participants with complete data (n = 129), BMI was greater (β 95% confidence interval) for women with less than high school education (0.56; 0.18, 0.94) and those who completed high school (0.26; −0.05, 0.57) relative to women with greater than a high school education (p = 0.009). Δ Cortisol was inversely related to BMI (−0.32; −0.59, −0.05; p = 0.022). Education positively modified the inverse relationship between Δ cortisol and BMI (p = 0.047). Positive affect was negatively associated with BMI (−0.44; −0.82, −0.06; p = 0.026) and positively modified the inverse association between Δ cortisol and BMI (0.33; −0.03, 0.69; p = 0.074).

Discussion: Education and Δ cortisol were inversely related to BMI, and the magnitude of the association between Δ cortisol and BMI was buffered by higher education. Positive affect was inversely related to BMI. Chronic stress is associated with higher BMI, with this relation attenuated by higher education and, possibly, a positive affect.

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