Body fat distribution and hemodynamic stress responses in premenopausal obese women: A preliminary study

To examine the relationship between body fat distribution and hemodynamic s tress responses, cardiovascular responses to a speech task and a forehead c old presser task were evaluated with 24 premenopausal women classified a pr iori as either centrally or peripherally obese. Results showed that women w ith central adiposity exhibited greater stress-related increases in diastol ic blood pressure and total peripheral resistance, whereas women with perip heral adiposity exhibited greater stress-related increases in cardiac outpu t. Depression, self-consciousness, hostility, and mood scores did not expla in significant variance in the stress response differences between regional adiposity groups. The findings suggest that central adiposity may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in women at least in part by enhancing vascular responses to stress.