N. Ravaja et al., PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT AND ABDOMINAL FAT DISTRIBUTION IN ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG-ADULTS - A STRUCTURAL EQUATION ANALYSIS OF PROSPECTIVE DATA, Appetite (Print), 31(1), 1998, pp. 21-35
We prospectively examined the relationship between perceived social su
pport and abdominal fat distribution. A 3-year follow-up study of 235
randomly selected healthy adolescents and young adults was used. Abdom
inal fat distribution was measured by means of the waist to hip circum
ference ratio (WHR), and social support was measured by the Perceived
Social Support Scale-Revised. Data were analysed using structural equa
tion models. Changes in social support were inversely associated with
changes in WHR, adjusted for body-mass index, among boys and men. This
association was less evident among girls and women. The relationship
of social support with WHR was independent of depression and hostility
. The findings suggest that social support may protect against abdomin
al fat accumulation, thereby potentially decreasing the risk of corona
ry heart disease later in life. (C) 1998 Academic Press.