Associations of family affluence with cortisol production and telomere length in European children

Marston, Kendal; Lau, Chung-Ho E.; Andrušaitytė, Sandra; Bhopal, Sunil; Grazuleviciene, Regina; Gutzkow, Kristine B.; Haro, Noemí; Karachaliou, Marianna; Koutra, Katerina; Krog, Norun Hjertager; Lepeule, Johanna; Maitre, Léa; Martens, Dries S.; Pozo Mendoza, Óscar J., 1975-; Wijnhoven, Anjali; Nawrot, Tim S.; Vrijheid, Martine; Robinson, Oliver

Associations of family affluence with cortisol production and telomere length in European children

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dc.contributor.author Marston, Kendal
dc.contributor.author Lau, Chung-Ho E.
dc.contributor.author Andrušaitytė, Sandra
dc.contributor.author Bhopal, Sunil
dc.contributor.author Grazuleviciene, Regina
dc.contributor.author Gutzkow, Kristine B.
dc.contributor.author Haro, Noemí
dc.contributor.author Karachaliou, Marianna
dc.contributor.author Koutra, Katerina
dc.contributor.author Krog, Norun Hjertager
dc.contributor.author Lepeule, Johanna
dc.contributor.author Maitre, Léa
dc.contributor.author Martens, Dries S.
dc.contributor.author Pozo Mendoza, Óscar J., 1975-
dc.contributor.author Wijnhoven, Anjali
dc.contributor.author Nawrot, Tim S.
dc.contributor.author Vrijheid, Martine
dc.contributor.author Robinson, Oliver
dc.date.accessioned 2025-07-29T06:40:34Z
dc.date.available 2025-07-29T06:40:34Z
dc.date.issued 2025
dc.description.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. Funding: UK Research and Innovation (Grants: MR/S03532X/1, MR/Y02012X/1), European Community (Grants: 874583, 308333).
dc.format.mimetype application/pdf
dc.identifier.citation Marston K, Lau CE, Andrusaityte S, Bhopal S, Grazuleviciene R, Gutzkow KB, et al. Associations of family affluence with cortisol production and telomere length in European children. EBioMedicine. 2025;117:105793. DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2025.105793
dc.identifier.doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2025.105793
dc.identifier.issn 2352-3964
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10230/71014
dc.language.iso eng
dc.publisher Elsevier
dc.relation.ispartof EBioMedicine. 2025;117:105793
dc.relation.projectID info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/874583
dc.relation.projectID info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/308333
dc.relation.projectID info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/211250
dc.relation.projectID info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/226285
dc.rights.accessRights info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.rights.uri http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subject.keyword Cortisol
dc.subject.keyword Family affluence
dc.subject.keyword Psychosocial stress
dc.subject.keyword Socioeconomic position
dc.subject.keyword Telomere length
dc.title Associations of family affluence with cortisol production and telomere length in European children
dc.type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
dc.type.version info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

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