The Relationship between Psychosocial Stress, Age, BMI, CRP, Lifestyle, and the Metabolic Syndrome in Apparently Healthy Subjects

Abstract

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the factors which may be associated with the metabolic syndrome by exploring the relationship between psychosocial stress, age, body mass index (BMI), C-reactive protein (CRP), lifestyle factors, and the components of the metabolic syndrome, such as glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood sugar (FBS), body fat percentage, and triglyceride concentration, among apparently healthy subjects. Psychosocial stress was measured by the use of the inventory to measure psychosocial stress (IMPS). One thousand four hundred and ninety-nine people out of 1,941 public school workers admitted to a hospital for a medical check-up responded to the IMPS, yielding a response rate of 77.2%. A total of 1,201 workers excluding 298 who were taking medication for various diseases were analyzed with the use of hierarchical multiple regression models. It was found that IMPS-measured stress score, age, BMI, and smoking habit were associated with an increase in glycated hemoglobin among men, while alcohol consumption was associated with a decrease in glycated hemoglobin. Stress score, age, BMI, and alcohol consumption were found to be associated with an increase in FBS among men, while smoking and exercise habits were associated with a decrease in FBS. CRP was found to be associated with an increase in body fat percentage among men, though stress score was not associated with an increase in body fat percentage. Stress score, age, and BMI were associated with an increase in triglyceride concentration among women. The findings of the present study seem to be in line with the hypothesis that psychosocial stress plays an important role in developing the metabolic syndrome, which may be associated with inflammatory processes in the vascular wall, resulting in atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.

Relationship between Health Promoting Lifestyle and Perceived Stress in Pregnant Women with Preeclampsia

“…In this study, women with higher stress had less health-promoting behavior, and these findings were consistent with the findings of Starket et al, the relationship between perceived stress and health-promoting behaviors in high risk pregnant women. 18 These findings are also consistent with the results of other several studies. 29,30 In this study, women who showed less stress had better nutrition.…”

“…Health promoting behaviors has attracted wide attention in the research as a key factor in health improvement. 18 But there is limited research evidence in this area for pregnant women with disease. The reason is the anticipated result that women with complications may be less likely to develop health promoting behaviors, and experience more stress than women with normal pregnancy.…”

Nodular glomerulosclerosis in a non-diabetic hypertensive smoker with dyslipidemia

“…34, Nº 2, mayo-agosto The hypertensive heavy smoker here described was also a passive smoker at home. Epidemiological and experimental studies have disclosed relationships between smoking, hypertension and dyslipidemia, both in diabetic and in non-diabetic individuals 8,9 . Smoking is associated with dyslipidemia, increased glicated haemoglobin, and metabolic syndrome 9 .…”

“…Epidemiological and experimental studies have disclosed relationships between smoking, hypertension and dyslipidemia, both in diabetic and in non-diabetic individuals 8,9 . Smoking is associated with dyslipidemia, increased glicated haemoglobin, and metabolic syndrome 9 . Nicotine can increase proteinuria, glomerular hypertrophy, and mesangial area in diabetic mice, in association with increased NADPH oxidase 4 , nitrotyrosine, and Akt expression 8 .…”

“…In Spain, like in Brazil, smoking poses a heavy social and economic burden despite of official campaigns against the tobacco consumption 6, [11][12][13] , which is related with diverse malignancies, bronchopulmonary and arterial diseases, dyslipidemia, and hypertension 6,9 . Worth of note are some high rates of tobacco-smokers among nurses (36%) and physicians (28%) 6 , who should be opinion makers against this worldwide and still uncontrolled epidemy.…”