Clinical endocrinology
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Clinical endocrinology · Feb 2007
Cortisol secretary pattern and glucocorticoid feedback sensitivity in women from a Mediterranean area: relationship with anthropometric characteristics, dietary intake and plasma fatty acid profile.
Chronic stress is associated with a dysfunctional hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis consisting on disturbances on the cortisol response and lipid metabolism. ⋯ A disturbed HPA axis is associated with abdominal fat distribution and a higher content of fat and saturated fatty acids in the diet. Women who chose a dietary pattern closer to the Mediterranean diet, with high monounsaturated fatty acid intake, showed lower levels on HPA axis disturbance.