Psychological risk factors for metabolic syndrome: re-exploring the link

Abstract

This study re-explores the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS), according to IDF and NCEP criteria, and personality and psychopathological variables. We studied trait anger, type A behavior, type D personality, alexithymia, Zuckerman’s personality dimensions, anxiety, somatization, depression, and hostility. The sample was 410 males (Mage = 52.54, SD = 10.43). A cross-sectional design was used with self-report data from questionnaires and biological measures. Participants completed the type D scale (DS14), the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and the shortened cross-cultural Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ-50-CC). The results show that subjects with IDF/NCEP criteria have significantly high scores in anxiety/negative affect, aggression-hostility, trait anger, alexithymia, negative affect, somatization, depression, and anxiety, but not in type A. No differences were found between both MetS criteria. High scores in somatization, difficulty in describing feelings, impulsive sensation seeking, and low scores in activity predict a small, but significant, part of the variance of systolic pressure, HDC cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and waist circumference. This study provides certain evidence for an association between MetS and psychological variables, including psychopathological symptoms, according to IDF and NCEP criteria.