title: Type A behavior and metabolic syndrome precursors in young adults.
abstract: The association between type A behavior and a cluster of parameters of the metabolic syndrome was studied in 919 randomly selected healthy young adults. Type A behavior was measured using the Type A Behavior Questionnaire for the Finnish Multicenter Study and the Hunter Wolf A-B Rating Scale. The results showed that type A men scored higher on the "Metabolic Syndrome Precursors Factor," representing a metabolic entity, than did non-type A men. In addition, type A behavior had a moderating effect on the relationship between parameters of the metabolic syndrome, that is, interdependence of these somatic factors was stronger in type A men than in non-type A men. These findings were not true of women. It is discussed whether type A behavior might affect bodily functions through increased activity along the pituitary-adrenal system resulting in insulin resistance, compensatory hyperinsulinemia, and other characteristics of the metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ravaja
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Keltikangas-Järvinen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Viikari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013577:Syndrome; D014434:Type A Personality
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin