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. 2009 Jan;28(1):131-5.
doi: 10.1037/a0012648.

Stress, race, and body weight

Karen Hye-cheon Kim  1 , Zoran Bursac, Vicki DiLillo, Della Brown White, Delia Smith West
Affiliations

Stress, race, and body weight

Karen Hye-cheon Kim et al. Health Psychol. 2009 Jan.

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.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mean weight loss (kg) at 6-month follow-up by stress tertiles
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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