Biological and Psychological Stress Correlates Are Linked to Glucose Metabolism, Obesity, and Gender Roles in Women.

OBJECTIVES: Psychological stress affects central as well as peripheral metabolism and hormone trafficking via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Stress thereby plays a decisive role in the etiology and progression of overweight and obesity, leading to several chronic diseases, such as diabetes, and mental health disorders. The interplay of biological and psychometric correlates of stress, anthropometric, immunological, and metabolic parameters and psychosocial factors such as gender roles, however, remains poorly understood. METHODS: In this exploratory study, 43 healthy women were assessed for glucose metabolism by an oral glucose tolerance test and computation of functional parameters for insulin secretion, sensitivity, and resistance. Further, the fatty liver index (FLI) and anthropometric parameters body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, body fat, and lean mass were assessed. Psychological stress assessment included the "Brief Symptom Inventory" (BSI), the "Burnout Dimensions Inventory" (BODI), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Biological stress response was evaluated with heart rate variability and cortisol levels. Finally, gender role self-identification was assessed with the "Bem Sex-Role Inventory" (BSRI). Generalized linear models were computed for exploratory association with psychometric outcome. Uncorrected p values are reported. RESULTS: Burnout and PSS scores were associated with insulin secretion, sputum cortisol, thyroid-stimulating hormone, anthropometric measures, and gender role. BSI ratings for psychiatric symptom dimensions were associated with insulin resistance, sex hormones, anthropometric measures, and gender role. Female self-identification was associated with higher BMI as well as body fat and a higher FLI. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the increased risk of unfavorable metabolic, cardiovascular, and also mental health outcome in obese women, a higher BMI in women with predominant female gender self-identification may be relevant for clinical risk assessment. The broad range of interacting biological, psychological, and gender-related parameters calls for an integrative management of both mental and endocrinological health. However, the exploratory nature of the study requires replication in larger samples before definite conclusion can be drawn.

Short Term Caloric Restriction and Biofeedback Enhance Psychological Wellbeing and Reduce Overweight in Healthy Women.

Obesity is highly prevalent, causing substantial cardiovascular and mental health morbidity. Women show increased risk for mental health disorders, that is multiplied in obesity and related to cellular and psychological stress that can be targeted by non-pharmacological interventions. A total of 43 women underwent two weeks of caloric restriction, half of which also received 7 h of individualized clinical psychological intervention including psychoeducation, mindfulness, and heart-rate-variability biofeedback. Effects on body mass index (BMI), fatty liver index (FLI), bioimpedance measures, serum parameters, perceived stress (PSS), burn-out susceptibility (burn out diagnostic inventory) and dimensional psychiatric symptom load (brief symptom inventory, BSI) were analyzed with linear mixed effects models. Caloric restriction led to a reduction in BMI, body fat and FLI, decreased serum concentrations of leptin, PSS score, BSI dimensions and global severity index (all p ≤ 0.0001, withstanding Bonferroni-Holm correction). Benefits of add-on biofeedback were observed for BMI reduction (p = 0.041). Caloric restriction was effective in ameliorating both psychological wellbeing and metabolic functions following a BMI reduction. Biofeedback boosted effects on BMI reduction and the combinative therapy may be protective against common progression to mental health and cardiovascular disorders in overweight women while comparing favorably to pharmacological interventions in terms of side-effects and acceptability.

Relationship between psychological stress and metabolism in morbidly obese individuals.

BACKGROUND: Despite evidence for a bidirectional relationship between obesity and stress-related mental disorders, the general relationship between psychological stress and metabolism is still controversial. Only few studies have addressed this relationship in morbidly obese individuals. METHODS: The present study investigated the relationship between psychological distress, health-related quality of life (HRQL), eating behavior, negative emotions and body mass index (BMI), body composition and biomedical parameters of metabolism in an adult sample of 123 (94 females) morbidly obese individuals. RESULTS: No significant relationship was found between psychological distress and BMI, body composition or any of the parameters of metabolism; however, there was a strong and robust association between HRQL in the physical domain and BMI, body composition and several biomedical parameters of sugar and fat metabolism. The results also showed an interesting dissociation in the relationship between BMI and HRQL in the physical and psychology domains. Only little evidence was found for a relationship between eating behavior (e.g. restraint) or negative emotions (e.g. anger) and BMI, body composition and parameters of metabolism. There was, however, a significant gender difference in restraint eating. Other commonly reported gender differences in BMI, body composition, fat metabolism and liver values were also observed in this sample of morbidly obese individuals. CONCLUSION: Results from the present study highlight the relationship between HRQL in the physical domain and metabolism. Implications of these findings for weight loss treatment are discussed, emphasizing HRQL as an important treatment goal and the need for long-term psychological monitoring.