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Title: | Associations of family affluence with cortisol production and telomere length in European children | Authors: | Marston, Kendal Lau, Chung-Ho E. Andrusaityte, Sandra Bhopal, Sunil Grazuleviciene, Regina Gutzkow, Kristine Bjerve Haro, Noemi Karachaliou, Marianna Koutra, Katerina Krog, Norun Hjertager Lepeule, Johanna Maitre, Lea MARTENS, Dries Pozo, Oscar J. Wijnhoven, Anjali Vrijheid, Martine NAWROT, Tim Robinson, Oliver |
Issue Date: | 2025 | Source: | EBioMedicine, (Art N° 105793) | Status: | In press | Abstract: | Background Shorter telomere length is associated with environmental stressors and has been proposed to underlie health inequalities in ageing trajectories. However, the relationship between socioeconomic position, psychosocial stress and telomere length is understudied in childhood, when ageing trajectories may be first defined. We aimed to examine the associations between family affluence, cortisol production and telomere length in a large cross-sectional study of European children. Methods 1160 children, aged 5–12 years, participating in the Human Early Life Exposome (HELIX) project, were recruited from cohorts in the UK, France, Spain, Norway, Lithuania, and Greece. Family material wealth was assessed using the international family affluence scale (FAS), psychosocial stress was defined by total urinary cortisol production, and leucocyte telomere length was measured through qPCR. Associations of FAS with cortisol production and telomere length were analysed using sequentially adjusted multivariable linear regression. The mediating role of cortisol production in the association between FAS and telomere length was examined using natural effects models. Findings Compared to children of low FAS, children with high FAS had 4.94% (95% CI: 1.2%, 8.8%) longer telomeres after adjustment for sex, age, ethnicity and cohort. Estimates were similar upon further adjustment for perinatal, child health, and other socioeconomic factors. Additionally, children of medium and high FAS had significantly lower levels of cortisol production than children of low FAS (medium FAS: −20.8%, 95% CI: −31%, −8.5%; high FAS: −16.6% SD, 95% CI: −28%, −3.4%). However, cortisol production was not associated with telomere length, and no significant mediation of cortisol production and other tested mediators was found for the relationship between FAS and telomere length. Interpretation The impacts of economic disadvantage are biologically observable in children and have implications for understanding health inequalities, both in child development and the onset of later age-related disease. Given the lack of mediation by cortisol production levels, as assessed via spot urine samples, further research should investigate alternative mechanisms underlying the association between affluence and telomere length. | Document URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/1942/46277 | ISSN: | 2352-3964 | e-ISSN: | 2352-3964 | DOI: | 10.1016/j.ebiom.2025.105793 | Rights: | 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). | Category: | A1 | Type: | Journal Contribution |
Appears in Collections: | Research publications |
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1-s2.0-S2352396425002373-main.pdf Until 2025-09-01 | In press | 1.03 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open Request a copy |
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