Chronic Stress and Negative Marital Quality Among Older Couples: Associations With Waist Circumference

Birditt, Kira S.; Newton, Nicky J.; Cranford, Jim; Webster, Noah

doi:10.1093/geronb/gbw112

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…With the exception of financial strain, we did not observe associations between stressors and overweight, for individual stressors, or combined. Our findings are consistent with previous studies which have found that childhood maltreatment [42], adverse life events [43], financial strain [20,21], and poor social relationships were associated with weight gain over time [22,44]. For example, Kershaw et al [22] found that chronically high negative ties with family and friends, and increases in negativity, were associated with increased waist circumference over a 10-year period among Whites and Blacks aged 33-45 years.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Psychosocial Stress and Overweight and Obesity: Findings From the Chicago Community Adult Health Study

Cuevas

Chen

Thurber

et al. 2019

Annals of Behavioral Medicine

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Background Psychosocial stress has been implicated as a risk factor for overweight and obesity. However, research on psychosocial stressors and overweight and obesity has typically focused on single stressors in isolation, which may overestimate the impact of a specific stressor and fail to describe the role of cumulative stress on overweight and obesity risk. Purpose This study explores the association between overweight/obesity and cumulative exposure to a wide range of psychosocial stressors, among a multiracial/ethnic sample of adults. Methods Using secondary data from the Chicago Community Adult Health Study (n = 2,983), we conducted multinomial logistic regression analyses to quantify associations between eight psychosocial stressors, individually and in combination, and measured overweight and obesity, adjusted for sociodemographic factors, alcohol use and smoking. Results In separated covariate-adjusted models, childhood adversities (odds ratio [OR] = 1.16; confidence interval [CI] = [1.03, 1.30]), acute life events (OR = 1.18; CI = [1.04, 1.34]), financial strain (OR = 1.30; CI = [1.15, 1.47]), and relationship stressors (OR = 1.18; CI = [1.04, 1.35]) were associated with increased odds of obesity. In a model adjusted for all stressors simultaneously, financial strain was the only stressor independently associated with overweight (OR = 1.17; CI = [1.00, 1.36]) and obesity (OR = 1.21; CI = [1.05, 1.39]). Participants with stress exposure in the highest quintile across 2, 3, or ≥4 (compared to no) types of stressors had significantly higher odds of obesity. Conclusions Multiple types of stressors may be risk factors for obesity, and cumulative exposure to these stressors may increase the odds of obesity. Reducing exposure to stressors at the population level may have the potential to contribute to reducing the burden of obesity.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Psychosocial Stress and Overweight and Obesity: Findings From the Chicago Community Adult Health Study

Cuevas

Chen

Thurber

et al. 2019

Annals of Behavioral Medicine

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“…Items were reverse coded and averaged so that higher scores represented more negative qualities (α = .76). These items have shown high reliability and construct validity (Bertera, 2005; Schuster et al, 1990; Walen & Lachman, 2000), along with links to objective health indicators (e.g., blood pressure, waist circumference) among aging couples over time (Birditt, Newton, Cranford, & Ryan, 2016; Birditt, Newton, Cranford, & Webster, 2016).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dyadic effects of depressive symptoms on medical morbidity in middle-aged and older couples.

2018

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“…Along these lines, Kiecolt- Glaser and colleagues [ 44 ] found that among couples, wound healing was slower after a hostile interaction than compared to an interaction in which the couple exchanged social support. Similarly, Birditt and colleagues [ 45 ] found links between higher levels of marital stress and larger waist circumference. Less is known though about the impact on health of interpersonal stress experienced in the context of other close relationships compared to spouses/partners.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 84%

Towards Positive Aging: Links between Forgiveness and Health

2020

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Forgiveness may serve as an essential positive resource to help individuals cope emotionally with stressful events, ultimately influencing health. Examination of how individuals forgive within the context of close relationships can provide useful information about positive aging. In this study, we examine how the severity of a recent transgression committed by a spouse/partner or other close social relationship is associated with self-reported physical health among older adults. We also examine how state forgiveness (i.e., in context of a specific event) can offset the potentially negative impact of transgressions on health and further compare the impact when the transgressor is a spouse/partner versus another close social relationship. Data are from the Detroit Community Survey, a cross-sectional survey of social relations, forgiveness, humility, and health in the Detroit Metropolitan Area. Respondents age 50 and older were selected for analysis (N=380). Structural equation models indicated that greater transgression severity was associated with worse self-rated health. Further, state forgiveness was found to play a significant moderating role. Among older adults who were more likely to forgive their transgressor, experiencing a more severe transgression was associated with worse health. In contrast, among older adults less likely to forgive, there was no association between transgression severity and self-rated health. Additionally, among older adults less likely to forgive, the transgressor being a close other social relationship was associated with worse health compared to when it was a spouse/partner. In contrast, when more likely to forgive there was no association between who the transgressor was and self-rated health. This study contributes to a better understanding of how interpersonal stress, specifically a recent transgression experienced within the context of close social relationships, can be harmful to older adults’ health. Findings highlight the importance of forgiveness as a resource that can help facilitate positive aging.

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Chronic Stress and Negative Marital Quality Among Older Couples: Associations With Waist Circumference

Cited by 8 publications

References 50 publications

Psychosocial Stress and Overweight and Obesity: Findings From the Chicago Community Adult Health Study

Psychosocial Stress and Overweight and Obesity: Findings From the Chicago Community Adult Health Study

Dyadic effects of depressive symptoms on medical morbidity in middle-aged and older couples.

Towards Positive Aging: Links between Forgiveness and Health

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