Evaluation of Allostatic Load as a Marker of Chronic Stress in Children and the Importance of Excess Weight

Abstract

Introduction: Allostatic load (AL) refers to the physiological response associated with the burden of chronic stress. Excessive weight is an important source of physiological stress that promotes a detrimental chronic low-inflammation state. In order to define a correlation between cumulative biological dysregulation and excess weight, we measured AL scores in a pediatric population. Patients and Methods: We enrolled 164 children and adolescents (11.89 ± 3.89). According to their body mass index (BMI) threshold, subjects were classified as normal in the BMI < 75th percentile, overweight in the BMI 75–95th percentile or obese in the BMI >95th percentile. Data based on 16 biomarkers were used to create the AL score. A dichotomous outcome for high AL was defined in those who had more than four dysregulated components. Results: High AL was noted in 88/164 subjects (53.65%), without significant differences between genders ( p = 0.07) or pubertal status ( p = 0.10). Subjects with a high AL, in addition to a higher BMI ( p < 0.001), showed higher WC and WC/HtR ( p < 0.001), triglycerides ( p = 0.002), fasting blood glucose ( p = 0.03), insulin resistance ( p < 0.001), systolic ( p < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure ( p = 0.001), GGT ( p = 0.01), PCR ( p = 0.01), and calprotectin ( p < 0.01) as well as lower HDL cholesterol ( p = 0.002) than subjects with a low AL. The rate of the cumulative biological dysregulation increased progressively with increases in BMI ( p < 0.001). Conclusions: A high AL was associated with excess weight. AL may be considered a significant factor correlated with increased morbidity in children who are overweight/obese.

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Allostatic Stress and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Transgender and Gender Expansive Youth: Protocol for a Pilot Cohort Study

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