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Introduction:A bidirectional relationship between testosterone and obesity is explained by the hypogonadal obesity cycle and evidence from reports stating that weight loss leads to increased testosterone levels. There is an alarming rise in the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents. The objectives of the present study were to measure the 2D:4D ratio of adolescent students and study its association with neck circumference (NC).Materials and Methods:After obtaining ethical clearance, the study was conducted on 168 adolescents pursuing their undergraduate education in a South Indian university. 2D:4D ratio and NC were measured using Digital Vernier Calipers and plastic inch tape, respectively. All the participants were divided into three groups (normal, overweight, and obese) on the basis of their BMI. Mean 2D:4D ratio and NC were compared between the three groups using one-way ANOVA.Results:Mean right and left hand ratios of the study population were 0.973 ± 0.030 and 0.975 ± 0.069, respectively. Comparison of 2D:4D ratios between the sexes revealed statistical significance (males = 0.966, females = 0.977, and P value = 0.019). There was no significant correlation between 2D:4D ratios and BMI. There was a significant negative correlation between NC and 2D:4D ratios of the individuals with normal BMI. However, no statistically significant correlation between NC and 2D:4D ratios was observed in overweight and obese individuals.Conclusion:2D:4D ratio and NC could be used as simple measures for screening of people at higher risk for heart disease and metabolic syndrome. However, studies on a larger sample might help us reveal the association between NC and 2D:4D ratios.

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Digit ratio or 2D:4D ratio is a sexually dimorphic trait. It is a proxy marker of prenatal androgen exposure and is negatively correlated to prenatal androgens especially, testosterone. Literature search revealed significant correlations between digit ratios and various physiological, psychological or performance traits in adulthood. Objectives: The pilot study was conducted to measure 2D:4D ratios of patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and to compare it with normal (non-depressed) individuals and also to evaluate the correlation between digit ratios & depression scores. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted in adults of age group belonging to 25-40 years with MDD (Group 1: n=30), from a tertiary care centre for Psychiatry. Using digital vernier calipers 2D:4D ratio was measured. Diagnosis of depression was done by the psychiatrist using DSM -IV criteria and depression scores were calculated by Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS). Depression scores using Beck's Depression Inventory and digit ratios were measured in age and sex matched healthy controls (Group 2: n=30). Results: The Mean ratios of Group 1 (0.9659 ± 0.04161) was found to be lower than Group 2 (0.9788 ± 0.0371). Using standard cutoffs, Group 1 was divided into Low and High digit ratios. The proportion of Group 1 patients with high ratios (84%) was significantly more than those with than low ratios (16%) (p<0.001). Discussion: The outcomes of the present study were synchronous with reports of higher incidence of depression in females, nationally and globally. This was concurrent with the other reports of the previous studies. This would help us to conduct the future studies even on large study population.