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Skin color cues to human health : carotenoids, aerobic fitness, and body fat

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Perrett_2020_FP_Skincolor_CC.pdf (1.422Mb)
Date
11/03/2020
Author
Perrett, David I.
Talamas, Sean
Cairns, Patrick
Henderson, Audrey J.
Keywords
Health
Skin color
Carotenoids
Fitness
Body fat
BF Psychology
NDAS
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Abstract
Colorful carotenoid ornaments are sexually selected signals of health in many species. In humans too, carotenoids could provide a perceptible cue to health as they impart an attractive yellow-orange color to skin. Increasing carotenoid pigmentation and skin yellowness is associated with increased fruit and vegetable intake, but whether other aspects of human health benefit skin color is unknown. Carotenoids, as antioxidants, help maintain oxidative balance but are expended in this role. Therefore, any health factor affecting oxidative balance could alter the quantity of carotenoids available to color skin. Exercise increases endogenous antioxidant capacity and consequently may decrease expenditure of carotenoids. Fitness could also raise skin carotenoids by lowering body fat (a source of oxidative stress). Here we investigate the relationship between skin color (measured spectrophotometrically), aerobic fitness (measured by estimating the maximum volume of oxygen that a person can use per unit of time, VO2 max), and body fat. In a cross-sectional design, we find that both higher aerobic fitness and lower body fat are predictors of skin yellowness, independent of each other and dietary fruit and vegetable intake. In a longitudinal design over 8 weeks, we found that increase in fitness and decrease in body fat were independently associated with an increase in skin yellowness. Change in self-reported stress and sleep were further predictors of skin yellowness indicating a more general relation between health and skin tone. Simulations of the skin color associated with higher fitness were found to appear healthier. Hence, our results suggest that increasing cardiovascular fitness and decreasing fat levels produce a healthier skin color. Such findings have repercussions for public health because improved attractiveness can provide an incentive for a healthier lifestyle, including exercise and weight regulation.
Citation
Perrett , D I , Talamas , S , Cairns , P & Henderson , A J 2020 , ' Skin color cues to human health : carotenoids, aerobic fitness, and body fat ' , Frontiers in Psychology , vol. 11 , 392 . https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00392
Publication
Frontiers in Psychology
Status
Peer reviewed
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00392
ISSN
1664-1078
Type
Journal article
Rights
Copyright © 2020 Perrett, Talamas, Cairns and Henderson. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Description
This work was supported by a British Academy Wolfson Professorship to DP (WRP/2008/87). AH was supported by a Eastbio BBSRC studentship.
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  • University of St Andrews Research
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/19636

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