The association between Type D personality and the metabolic syndrome: a cross-sectional study in a University-based outpatient lipid clinic

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Type D personality has been associated in the past with increased cardiovascular mortality among patients with established coronary heart disease. Very few studies have investigated the association of type D personality with traditional cardiovascular risk factors. In this study, we assessed the association between type D personality and the metabolic syndrome.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>New consecutive patients referred to an outpatient lipid clinic for evaluation of possible metabolic syndrome were eligible for inclusion in the study. The metabolic syndrome was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) diagnostic criteria. Type D personality was assessed with the DS-14 scale. Multivariate regression techniques were used to investigate the association between personality and metabolic syndromes adjusting for a number of medical and psychiatric confounders. Three hundred and fifty-nine persons were screened of whom 206 met the diagnostic criteria for the metabolic syndrome ("cases") and 153 did not ("control group"). The prevalence of type D personality was significantly higher in the cases as compared to the control group (44% versus 15% respectively, p < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis the presence of Type D personality was significantly associated with metabolic syndrome independently of other clinical factors, anxiety and depressive symptoms (odds ratio 3.47; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.90 - 6.33).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Type D personality was independently associated with the metabolic syndrome in this cross-sectional study. The potential implications of this finding, especially from a clinical or preventive perspective, should be examined in future research.</p

Type D personality is associated with increased metabolic syndrome prevalence and an unhealthy lifestyle in a cross-sectional Dutch community sample

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>People with Type D-Distressed-personality have a general tendency towards increased negative affectivity (NA), while at the same time inhibiting these emotions in social situations (SI). Type D personality is associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease. Whether Type D personality is a cardiovascular risk factor in healthy populations remains to be investigated. In the present study, the relations between Type D personality and classical cardiovascular risk factors, i.e. metabolic syndrome and lifestyle were investigated in a Dutch community sample.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a cross-sectional study 1592 participants were included, aged 20-80 years. Metabolic syndrome was defined by self-report, following the International Diabetes Federation-IDF-guidelines including an increased waist circumference, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes. In addition lifestyle factors smoking, alcohol use, exercise and dietary habits were examined. Metabolic syndrome prevalence was stratified by Type D personality (a high score on both NA and SI), lifestyle and confounders age, gender, having a partner, higher education level, cardiac history, family history of cardiovascular disease.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Metabolic syndrome was more prevalent in persons with a Type D personality (13% vs. 6%). Persons with Type D personality made poorer lifestyle choices, adhered less to the physical activity norm (OR = 1.5, 95%CI = 1.1-2.0, <it>p </it>= .02), had a less varied diet (OR = 0.50, 95%CI = 0.40-0.70, <it>p </it>< .0005), and were less likely to restrict their fat intake (OR = 0.70, 95%CI = 0.50-0.90, <it>p </it>= .01). Type D personality was related to a twofold increased risk of metabolic syndrome (OR = 2.2, 95%CI = 1.2-4.0, <it>p </it>= .011), independent of lifestyle factors and confounders.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Type D personality is related to an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome and unhealthy lifestyle, which suggests both behavioral and biological vulnerability for development of cardiovascular disorders and diabetes.</p

Central Adiposity is Associated with Cardiovascular Reactivity to Stress in Adolescents

The current study examined the association between central adiposity, measured by waist circumference, and cardiovascular reactivity to stress among 106 White and 105 Black adolescents, approximately 50% of whom were girls. Participants engaged in 4 laboratory tasks while cardiovascular reactivity measures were taken. Independent of body mass index, race, and gender, participants with a greater waist circumference exhibited greater systolic blood pressure reactivity and diastolic blood pressure reactivity (boys only). Race did not affect the results. Results from the present study suggest that central adiposity is associated with blood pressure reactivity early in life, especially in adolescent boys

Emotional Eating Scale

Item does not contain fulltextThe Emotional Eating Scale (EES) was constructed to allow a detailed analysis of the relationship between negative mood and disordered eating in obese people with binge eating disorder (Arnow et al. 1995). The questionnaire was published in the appendix of the 1995 publication in the journal International Journal of Eating Disorders and became one of the most frequently used measures of emotional eating in clinical populations. This chapter describes the EES and its new additions and addresses possible problems and pitfalls. The EES will also be evaluated according to the European Federation of Psychologists' Associations (EFPA) criteria for the evaluation of the quality of psychological tests (Evers et al. 2013a, b)