title: Allostatic load and health status of African Americans and whites.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare health risks in 84 healthy African American and 45 white men and women after calculating allostatic load (AL) from biologic, psychosocial, and behavioral measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (18-45 years) ranging in weight from normal to obese and without  hypertension or diabetes. Fitness, body fat, CRP, mood, social support, blood pressure, sleep and exercise habits, coping, and insulin responses were dichotomized as low/high risk and summed for AL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  African Americans (3.4±1.9) had significantly higher AL than that of  whites (2.4±1.9; P<0.05). Significantly more African Americans had AL≥3 (67.9%) than did whites (48.9%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Identifying cumulative AL may help identify and address the underpinnings of health disparities in African Americans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA. pdeuster@usuhs.mil
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Deuster
authors.forename: Su Jong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim-Dorner
authors.forename: Alan T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Remaley
authors.forename: Merrily
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poth
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D001741:Black or African American; D052636:Allostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D012306:Risk; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein