Association Between Premature Hair Greying and Metabolic Risk Factors: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

The association of hair greying with metabolic syndrome is not well known, while association with obesity and coronary artery disease has been suggested. A cross-sectional study was conducted to identify an association between premature hair greying and metabolic risk factors. Of the 1,929 young healthy subjects (1,067 men and 862 women), 704 (36.4%) were categorized in the premature hair greying group. Waist circumference (means of non-premature hair greying vs. premature hair greying, 74.3 vs. 76.3 cm; p?<?0.001), systolic (109.2 vs. 111.7 mmHg; p?<?0.001) and diastolic (65.0 vs. 66.2 mmHg; p?=?0.003) blood pressures, and fasting blood sugar (90.8 vs. 91.6 mg/dl; p?=?0.013) were higher and serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (68.1 vs 65.4 mg/dl; p?<?0.001) was lower in premature hair greying group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that metabolic risk factors ??2 was independently associated with premature hair greying after controlling for confounding factors (odds ratio 1.725; p?=?0.036). The present study revealed an association between premature hair greying and metabolic risk factors.