Psychology Faculty Work

Title

Stress, Race, and Body Weight

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2009

Publication Title

Health Psychology

Volume Number

28

Issue Number

1

DOI

10.1037/a0012648

Abstract

Objective: Stress has been identified as a significant factor in health and in racial/ethnic health disparities. A potential mediator in these relationships is body weight.

Design: Cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between stress, race, and body weight were examined in an ethnically diverse sample of overweight and obese women with Type 2 diabetes (n = 217) enrolled in a behavioral weight loss program.

Main Outcome Measures: Stress (Perceived Stress Scale) was assessed at baseline only and body weight (body mass index) was assessed at baseline and 6 months.

Results: Stress was not related to baseline body weight. With every 1 unit lower scored on the baseline stress measure, women lost 0.10 kg ± .04 more at 6 months (p < .05). When women were divided into tertiles based on baseline stress scores, those in the lowest stress group had significantly greater weight loss (5.2 kg ± 4.9) compared with those in the highest stress group (3.0 kg ± 4.0) (p < .05). There was a trend for African Americans to report higher levels of stress (20.7 ± 8.8) than Whites (18.3 ± 8.3) (p = .08).

Conclusion: The association between higher stress and diminished weight loss has implications for enhancing weight loss programs for women with Type 2 diabetes.

ISSN

0278-6133

First Page

131

Last Page

135

Link Out URL

https://doi.org/10.1037/a0012648

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