Antecedent longitudinal changes in body mass index are associated with diurnal cortisol curve features: The multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis

We found a significant association between prior annual BMI % change and cortisol features, but no significant association between baseline cortisol features and subsequent change in BMI. In participants with obesity increases in BMI were associated with less pronounced declined. Collectively, our results suggest that greater adiposity may lead to a blunted diurnal cortisol profile.