The metabolic costs of hostility in healthy adult men and women: Cross-sectional and prospective analyses

Background

Hostility is associated with altered metabolic activity but little research has examined sex and/or age differences using a global index of metabolic dysfunction or examined different aspects of hostility.

Methods

The moderating effect of sex and age on the associations between three aspects of hostility (cynical attitude, angry affect, quarrelsome behavior in daily living) and metabolic burden (number of metabolic parameters in the higher quartile) were evaluated in 188 healthy men and women (M_age = 41; SD = 11.34). Three years later, metabolic burden was measured again in 133 participants.

Results

At study onset, quarrelsome behavior was associated with greater metabolic burden in men and women (Beta = .144; p < .05). After 3 yrs, cynical hostility predicted increased metabolic burden among mid-age and older individuals (b = .013 and .046 respectively; p < .001).

Conclusion

The aspect of hostility that is most closely associated with metabolic burden depends on the age of the participants and whether measures are concurrent or prospective.