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The cortisol stress response in youth with overweight and obesity : influence of psychosocial variables

Ine Verbiest (UGent) , Sandra Verbeken (UGent) , Taaike Debeuf (UGent) , Stefaan De Henauw (UGent) , Nathalie Michels (UGent) and Caroline Braet (UGent)
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Abstract
Background: Despite previous research pointing out a bifurcation in cortisol stress reactivity, it is not yet clear if all variables explaining inter-individual differences in stress responses are captured. Objectives: To explore which (psychosocial and demographic) variables predict the cortisol response after a standardized stress-and affective state (SAS)-induction in youth with overweight and obesity. Methods: As part of a randomized control trial (SRCTN83822934) investigating the effects of emotion regulation (ER)-training on top of a 10-month inpatient multidisciplinary obesity treatment, 79 children and adolescents (9-15 years) with moderate obesity (M adjusted BMI = 154.35% overweight, SD = 24.57) completed a SAS-induction before leaving the clinic. Results: Those whose cortisol levels decreased (N = 59.5%) from baseline to reactivity showed higher levels of alexithymia than increasers (p = 0.049). Attachment avoidance was a significant positive predictor of relative cortisol decrease after SAS-induction (p = 0.001). Age was significantly related to less cortisol decrease (p = 0.006). No significant effect of ER-intervention group on relative cortisol change was found. ConclusionsThe current study provides evidence for a bifurcation in cortisol stress reactivity in youth with obesity. Our data further suggested that psychosocial variables (alexithymia and attachment avoidance) influence the cortisol stress response. Future research should further explore whether the attenuators are a more vulnerable group.
Keywords
EMOTION REGULATION, SOCIAL STRESS, ALEXITHYMIA, ATTACHMENT, SLEEP, ADOLESCENTS, REACTIVITY, HEALTH, STRATEGIES, CHILDREN, childhood obesity, cortisol reactivity, psychosocial factors, stress

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Citation

Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:

MLA
Verbiest, Ine, et al. “The Cortisol Stress Response in Youth with Overweight and Obesity : Influence of Psychosocial Variables.” PEDIATRIC OBESITY, vol. 18, no. 6, 2023, doi:10.1111/ijpo.13026.
APA
Verbiest, I., Verbeken, S., Debeuf, T., De Henauw, S., Michels, N., & Braet, C. (2023). The cortisol stress response in youth with overweight and obesity : influence of psychosocial variables. PEDIATRIC OBESITY, 18(6). https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.13026
Chicago author-date
Verbiest, Ine, Sandra Verbeken, Taaike Debeuf, Stefaan De Henauw, Nathalie Michels, and Caroline Braet. 2023. “The Cortisol Stress Response in Youth with Overweight and Obesity : Influence of Psychosocial Variables.” PEDIATRIC OBESITY 18 (6). https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.13026.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Verbiest, Ine, Sandra Verbeken, Taaike Debeuf, Stefaan De Henauw, Nathalie Michels, and Caroline Braet. 2023. “The Cortisol Stress Response in Youth with Overweight and Obesity : Influence of Psychosocial Variables.” PEDIATRIC OBESITY 18 (6). doi:10.1111/ijpo.13026.
Vancouver
1.
Verbiest I, Verbeken S, Debeuf T, De Henauw S, Michels N, Braet C. The cortisol stress response in youth with overweight and obesity : influence of psychosocial variables. PEDIATRIC OBESITY. 2023;18(6).
IEEE
[1]
I. Verbiest, S. Verbeken, T. Debeuf, S. De Henauw, N. Michels, and C. Braet, “The cortisol stress response in youth with overweight and obesity : influence of psychosocial variables,” PEDIATRIC OBESITY, vol. 18, no. 6, 2023.
@article{01HE022GW0VSQ78R1PDBX6CFB2,
  abstract     = {{Background: Despite previous research pointing out a bifurcation in cortisol stress reactivity, it is not yet clear if all variables explaining inter-individual differences in stress responses are captured.

 Objectives: To explore which (psychosocial and demographic) variables predict the cortisol response after a standardized stress-and affective state (SAS)-induction in youth with overweight and obesity.

 Methods: As part of a randomized control trial (SRCTN83822934) investigating the effects of emotion regulation (ER)-training on top of a 10-month inpatient multidisciplinary obesity treatment, 79 children and adolescents (9-15 years) with moderate obesity (M adjusted BMI = 154.35% overweight, SD = 24.57) completed a SAS-induction before leaving the clinic.

 Results: Those whose cortisol levels decreased (N = 59.5%) from baseline to reactivity showed higher levels of alexithymia than increasers (p = 0.049). Attachment avoidance was a significant positive predictor of relative cortisol decrease after SAS-induction (p = 0.001). Age was significantly related to less cortisol decrease (p = 0.006). No significant effect of ER-intervention group on relative cortisol change was found.

 ConclusionsThe current study provides evidence for a bifurcation in cortisol stress reactivity in youth with obesity. Our data further suggested that psychosocial variables (alexithymia and attachment avoidance) influence the cortisol stress response. Future research should further explore whether the attenuators are a more vulnerable group.}},
  articleno    = {{e13026}},
  author       = {{Verbiest, Ine and Verbeken, Sandra and Debeuf, Taaike and De Henauw, Stefaan and Michels, Nathalie and Braet, Caroline}},
  issn         = {{2047-6310}},
  journal      = {{PEDIATRIC OBESITY}},
  keywords     = {{EMOTION REGULATION,SOCIAL STRESS,ALEXITHYMIA,ATTACHMENT,SLEEP,ADOLESCENTS,REACTIVITY,HEALTH,STRATEGIES,CHILDREN,childhood obesity,cortisol reactivity,psychosocial factors,stress}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{10}},
  title        = {{The cortisol stress response in youth with overweight and obesity : influence of psychosocial variables}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.13026}},
  volume       = {{18}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}

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