title: Distinctive biological correlates of positive psychological well-being in older men and women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Positive psychological well-being is associated with reduced risk of chronic illnesses. Biological risk factors may contribute to these effects, although sex differences may be present. Two aspects of well-being can be distinguished: affective well-being (happiness and pleasure) and eudaemonia (sense of autonomy and purposeful engagement with life). We evaluated relationships between both affective and eudaemonic well-being and biological measures in a large sample of older people.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study analyzed the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a nationally representative cohort aged 50 years or older. In this study, 7795 participants completed positive well-being and depressive symptom measures. Waist circumference, dehydroepiandosterone sulfate, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, plasma triglycerides, and peak expiratory flow were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In men, affective well-being was associated with smaller waist circumference (B = -0.206, p < .001) and greater levels of dehydroepiandosterone sulfate (B = 0.072, p = .003). Affective well-being in women was related to lower concentrations of inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein and fibrinogen, B = -0.242 and -0.024, respectively, p < .001) and greater high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (B = 0.011, p = .017). Both men and women showed associations between well-being and lower levels of plasma triglycerides (B = -0.032, p < .001) and better lung function (B = 3.594, p < .001). Associations were independent of age, marital status, socioeconomic circumstances, body mass, smoking, limiting long-standing illnesses, health indicators, and depressive symptoms. Similar results were obtained for eudaemonic well-being.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Positive psychological well-being has biological correlates that may be health protective, with distinctive patterns for men and women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom. a.steptoe@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steptoe
authors.forename: Panayotes
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Demakakos
authors.forename: Cesar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wardle
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides; D002097:C-Reactive Protein