Social encounters in daily life and 2-year changes in metabolic risk factors in young women

Abstract

Research shows that poor social ties increase risks of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, little is known about the nature of everyday social encounters that give rise to this association, or when in the course of development they begin to shape disease-relevant biological processes. In this study, 122 adolescent females recorded the qualities of their everyday social interactions using electronic diaries. At the same time we measured components of the metabolic syndrome, a precursor to CVD that includes central adiposity, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and lipid dysregulation. Metabolic symptoms were reassessed 12 and 24 months later. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed an association between negative social interactions and metabolic symptom trajectories. To the extent that participants had more intense negative social encounters in daily life, they showed increasing scores on a composite indicator of metabolic risk over two years. This association was independent of a variety of potential confounders, and persisted when symptoms of depression and broader personality traits were controlled. There was no association between positive social encounters and metabolic risk trajectories. These findings suggest that even in otherwise healthy adolescents, abrasive social encounters may accelerate the progression of CVD’s early stages.

Positive Attributes Protect Adolescents From Risk for the Metabolic Syndrome

“…Such an association is not always obtained as previous reports did not find a relationship with depressive symptoms or perceived stress (cross-sectionally). 10;12 Lower SES is consistently associated with higher levels of negative emotions in adults. 31 Our sample is unique in that the adolescents were from a low to middle class community.…”

“…Metabolic risk was defined by standardizing and averaging the risk factors that constitute the metabolic syndrome. 12 The Dunedin Study reported that children who were socially isolated and rejected were at elevated cardiovascular risk as young adults, defined as having at least three of six cardiovascular risk factors (overweight, low HDL-C, high BP, high cholesterol, high glycosolated hemoglobin, low maximum oxygen consumption). 13 In the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, depressive symptoms at age 12 predicted the metabolic syndrome defined by standard National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines among women, but not men, 20 years later.…”

“…In the social interaction study of adolescent females at risk for depression, more positive social interactions throughout the day were not associated with metabolic risk. 12 In the Princeton School Study of black and white teenagers, optimistic attitudes were associated with high levels of HDL-C and low levels of insulin and triglycerides (blacks only). 17 This paper did not report the association with the metabolic syndrome or with the total number of elevated risk factors.…”

Quality of relationships with parents and friends in adolescence predicts metabolic risk in young adulthood.

“…For example, in a study of adolescent females, negative social interactions in everyday life were associated with increasing metabolic risk over a 2-year follow-up period (Ross, Martin, Chen, & Miller, 2011). Relationships in childhood and adolescence appear to be predictive of physical health even decades later in life.…”

Daily Spousal Responsiveness Predicts Longer-Term Trajectories of Patients’ Physical Function

“…Ross and colleagues (2011) discovered that female adolescents who reported more negative daily interactions also experienced increased metabolic risk across two years. A national study of U. S. adults found that participants more emotionally reactive to daily stressors were also more likely to report a chronic physical health condition ten years later (Piazza, Charles, Sliwinski, Mogle, & Almeida, 2013).…”