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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research article

The association of body size in early to mid-life with adult urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels among night shift health care workers

Authors: Cody A Ramin, Jennifer Massa, Lani R Wegrzyn, Susan B Brown, Jeffrey Pierre-Paul, Elizabeth E Devore, Susan E Hankinson, Eva S Schernhammer

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

Adult body mass index (BMI) has been associated with urinary melatonin levels in humans; however, whether earlier-life body size is associated with melatonin, particularly among night shift workers, remains unknown.

Methods

We evaluated associations of birth weight, body shape (or somatotype) at ages 5 and 10, BMI at age 18 and adulthood, weight change since age 18, waist circumference, waist to hip ratio, and height with creatinine-adjusted morning urinary melatonin (6-sulfatoxymelatonin, aMT6s) levels among 1,343 healthy women (aged 32–53 at urine collection, 1996–1999) in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) II cohort. Using multivariable linear regression, we computed least-square mean aMT6s levels across categories of body size, and evaluated whether these associations were modified by night shift work.

Results

Adult BMI was inversely associated with aMT6s levels (mean aMT6s levels = 34 vs. 50 ng/mg creatinine, comparing adult BMI ≥30 vs. <20 kg/m2; Ptrend <0.0001); however, other measures of body size were not related to aMT6s levels after accounting for adult BMI. Night shifts worked prior to urine collection, whether recent or cumulatively over time, did not modify the association between adult BMI and aMT6s levels (e.g., Pinteraction = 0.72 for night shifts worked within two weeks of urine collection).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that adult BMI, but not earlier measures of body size, is associated with urinary aMT6s levels in adulthood. These observations did not vary by night shift work status, and suggest that adult BMI may be an important mechanism by which melatonin levels are altered and subsequently influence chronic disease risk.
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Metadata
Title
The association of body size in early to mid-life with adult urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels among night shift health care workers
Authors
Cody A Ramin
Jennifer Massa
Lani R Wegrzyn
Susan B Brown
Jeffrey Pierre-Paul
Elizabeth E Devore
Susan E Hankinson
Eva S Schernhammer
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1770-x

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