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Psychological underpinnings of metabolic syndrome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 March 2007

Barbara J. Stewart-Knox
Barbara J. Stewart-Knox
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK
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Abstract

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Metabolic syndrome (MS) is more common among socio-economically disadvantaged individuals and is associated with certain risky lifestyle practices. MS also appears to be triggered by adverse social circumstances and chronic stress. The present paper reviews accumulating evidence to imply that individuals who have certain personality and behaviour traits are particularly predisposed to develop MS, and brings together theories that relate to possible psychological mechanisms underlying MS. It considers how such factors might interact causally to encourage the development of MS. As part of the EU-funded LIPGENE Integrated Project, multi-level modelling will be undertaken to explore potential pathways to MS, taking into consideration the interplay between a range of psycho-social, demographic, cultural and lifestyle factors thought to contribute to the development of MS. Data will be gathered for this purpose from a representative sample of >50-year-olds living in Britain (n 1000) and Portugal (n 500). It is anticipated that this information will assist in the development and targetting of future intervention to prevent and treat MS in the normal population.

Keywords

Metabolic syndromePsychologicalSocialDemographicCultural
Type
Meeting Report
Information
Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 64 , Issue 3 , August 2005 , pp. 363 - 369
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2005

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