Proceedings of International Conference on Applied Innovation in IT  ·  2026/06/12  ·  Vol. 14  ·  Issue 4  ·  pp. 801–808
Association of Cortisol and Adiponectin with Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Obese Iraqi Adults
Dania Salah Abdel Rahim, Luay Qasim Abdulhameed and Takoua Ben Hlel
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Abstract
Obesity is a condition that directly impacts a variety of metabolic processes. The study investigated relationship between cortisol, adiponectin, and oxidative stress indicators in obese Iraqi adults. Between October 2025 and April 2026, a total of 88 Iraqi adults between the ages of 18 and 65 were recruited from Baqubah Teaching Hospital and specialist outpatient clinics in Baqubah City, Diyala Governorate. Participants were divided into three categories: healthy controls (n=28), overweight (n=30), and obese individuals (n=30). Venous blood samples were obtained under sterile circumstances, and cortisol, adiponectin (ADPN), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The study observed significant anthropometric differences across groups. BMI increased sequentially among the three groups (P < 0.001). Additionally, cortisol levels were significantly higher in obese people than in overweight and healthy persons (P < 0.001). ADPN levels, on the other hand, gradually and dramatically decreased as body weight status increased (P < 0.001). Significant changes were also observed in oxidative stress markers, where CAT activity decreased and MDA levels increased in study groups from healthy to overweight and obese. According to ROC curve analysis, ADPN levels showed better diagnostic value in differentiating across study groups compared to cortisol levels, which only showed moderate diagnostic value. In conclusion, obesity is closely related to oxidative stress and hormonal imbalance, which are indicated by increased levels of cortisol, decreased levels of ADPN, antioxidant defenses, and MDA. It is therefore proposed that ADPN could be used as a biomarker for metabolic disorders related to obesity.
Keywords
Obesity Adiponectin Cortisol Malondialdehyde Catalase
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