Kubera B, et al. – The combined effects of stress exposure and autonomic variability speculated the long–term variations in body form. This proposition was comprehensively evaluated in this study. The psychological distress and autonomic variability analysis speculated the changes in body form. Psychological distress correlated with an increased risk of developing the wide–waisted phenotype. On the other hand, psychological distress combined with low autonomic variability linked to an increased risk of developing the corpulent phenotype.

Methods

• An examination was performed of 1,369 men and 612 women from the Whitehall II cohort.
• BMI, hip-to-height ratio, and waist-to-height ratio were calculated at three time points over a 10-year period.
• An analysis was pursued of the HRV and psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire).

Results

• Men with high psychological distress were at risk of developing an increased waist-to-height ratio (F=3.4, P=0.038).
• Men with high psychological distress and low HRV displayed the tendency of developing an increased body mass and hip-to-height ratio (psychological distress: F=4.3, P=0.016; HRV: F=5.0, P=0.008).
• Statistical trends illustrated that women exhibited similar patterns of stress-related changes in body form (P=0.061; P=0.063).