Metabolic Syndrome and Allostatic Load: Increased Health Risk From PTSD?

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric F. Crawford ◽  
Pia S. Heppner ◽  
Uzair A. Haji ◽  
Dewleen G. Baker
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 62-64
Author(s):  
Ioana Mătăcuţă-Bogdan

Abstract Allostatic (over)load appears to be a substantial cause of morbidity for adults. For children, new aspects emerge. They are particularly significant for their repercussions in childhood and adult life: obesity, metabolic syndrome, arterial hypertension, insulin resistance, or eating disorder. It is desirable to identify clusters relevant for certain diseases to prevent long-time and irreversible consequences of allostatic load.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah Cave ◽  
Matthew N. Cooper ◽  
Stephen R. Zubrick ◽  
Carrington C. J. Shepherd

Abstract Background Increased allostatic load is linked with racial discrimination exposure, providing a mechanism for the biological embedding of racism as a psychosocial stressor. We undertook an examination of how racial discrimination interacts with socioecological, environmental, and health conditions to affect multisystem dysregulation in a First Nations population. Methods We conducted latent class analysis (LCA) using indicators of life stress, socioeconomic background, and physical and mental health from a nationally representative sample of Australian Aboriginal adults (N = 2056). We used LCA with distal outcomes to estimate the effect of the latent class variable on our derived allostatic load index and conducted a stratified analysis to test whether allostatic load varied based on exposure to racial discrimination across latent classes. Results Our psychosocial, environmental, and health measures informed a four-class structure; ‘Low risk’, ‘Challenged but healthy’, ‘Mental health risk’ and ‘Multiple challenges’. Mean allostatic load was highest in ‘Multiple challenges’ compared to all other classes, both in those exposed (4.5; 95% CI: 3.9, 5.0) and not exposed (3.9; 95% CI: 3.7, 4.2) to racial discrimination. Allostatic load was significantly higher for those with exposure to racial discrimination in the ‘Multiple challenges’ class (t = 1.74, p = .04) and significantly lower in the ‘Mental health risk’ class (t = − 1.67, p = .05). Conclusions Racial discrimination may not always modify physiological vulnerability to disease. Social and economic contexts must be considered when addressing the impact of racism, with a focus on individuals and sub-populations experiencing co-occurring life challenges.


2013 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-30
Author(s):  
Veroslava Stanković ◽  
Svetlana Stojanović ◽  
Nađa Vasiljević

Summary People with metabolic syndrome (MetSy) are about twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease and over four times as likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared to subjects without metabolic syndrome. Waist circumferences (WC) and body mass index (BMI) are useful screening tools for making the diagnosis. MetSy has increased the health risk in primary care. The aim of the study was to evaluate the anthropometric indices for MetSy and determine which of simple anthropometric measurements is most closely associated with metabolic risk factors. The research included 264 individuals, of which 132 men with mean age (±SD) of 44.73 ±9.37 years and 132 women with mean age (±SD) of 46.67±8.44 years. Antropometric indicators were measured using standard protocols, without shoes and outerwear. BMI was calculated as weight/height2(kg/m2) ratio, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Blood pressure measurements were obtained with the subject in a seated position by using a standard mercury sphygmomanometer. Blood samples were obtained after a minimum of 12-h fast; the metabolic parameters (high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose) were analyzed by standard procedures. Analysis of the examinees’ medical records was also performed. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed using the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. The analysis of the research results were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Science version 10.0 (SPSS 10.0 for Windows). The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 44.7% in men and 43.2% in women. Normal-weight subjects of both sexes were significantly younger and had significantly lower blood glucose, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides than overweight and obese subjects. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure values were significantly increased in parallel with increasing of BMI. For the whole sample, both anthropometric indices had significant associations with the other five components of MetSy. Waist circumference is a simple measure of adiposity most strongly associated with metabolic abnormalities. The results obtained in this study indicate that WC is a good indicator of health risk in women but not in men. Measurement of WC by BMI categories may indicate a person with an increased risk of development of chronic diseases.


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