Weight Stigma in Women Who Are Obese: Assessing How an Acute Exposure to Stigma Negatively Impacts Cardiovascular Health
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- University of Connecticut
- Enrollment
- 49
- Primary Endpoint
- Ambulatory systolic BP (SABP) reactivity
Study Overview
Brief Summary
The current study examined the influence of an acute weight stigma exposure on cardiovascular reactivity among women with obesity and high blood pressure and women with obesity and normal blood pressure.
Detailed Description
The current study examined the influence of two video exposures, one containing scenes of weight stigma (STIGMA) and the other non-stigmatizing neutral (NEUTRAL) scenes, on cardiovascular reactivity as assessed by resting BP and ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) and heart rate (HR), among women with obesity and high BP (HBP) or normal BP (NBP). The investigators hypothesized that as a result of STIGMA compared to NEUTRAL, cardiovascular reactivity would be significantly greater immediately upon watching the video and persist outside of the laboratory over ambulatory conditions in women with obesity and HBP compared to women with obesity and NBP.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Crossover
- Primary Purpose
- Prevention
- Masking
- Single (Participant)
Masking Description
Due to the nature of the experimental manipulation in this study and to maintain validity, mild deception was necessary. Participants were told that the study was examining BP, HR, mood, and behavioral responses to various forms of media and were not informed specifically of the purpose until after they completed the study. In order to verify that the participants were unaware that their cardiovascular reactivity to a weight stigma exposure was being measured, a manipulation check was implemented wherein participants were asked to report what they believed the study purpose to be. No participants reported the true purpose of the study during the manipulation check. At the conclusion of the study, participants were debriefed about the true purpose of the study.
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 20 Years to 50 Years (Adult)
- Sex
- Female
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •Premenopausal
- •BMI > 30 kg/m2
- •No other known chronic cardiovascular or metabolic diseases besides hypertension
Exclusion Criteria
- •Pregnant or planned on becoming pregnant
- •Took medications that may have affected the primary outcome of BP (e.g., stimulants for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or steroids for asthma)
- •Currently using tobacco products
- •Diagnosed with an eating disorder
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Ambulatory systolic BP (SABP) reactivity
Time Frame: 19 hours (10 hours awake, 9 hours sleep)
Ambulatory SABP reactivity was calculated as the change in hourly SABP values (mmHg) over the awake (10 hours), sleep (9 hours), and 19 hours minus average baseline SABP following STIGMA and NEUTRAL.
Secondary Outcomes
- Laboratory systolic blood pressure (SBP) reactivity(20 minutes (2 minute intervals) before the exposure video; 10 minutes during the exposure video (2 min intervals); and 20 minutes following the exposure video (2 min. intervals).)
- Laboratory diastolic blood pressure (DBP) reactivity(20 minutes (2 minute intervals) before the exposure video; 10 minutes during the exposure video (2 min intervals); and 20 minutes following the exposure video (2 min. intervals).)
- Ambulatory rate pressure product (RPP) reactivity(19 hours (10 hours awake, 9 hours sleep))
- Laboratory heart rate (HR) reactivity(20 minutes (2 minute intervals) before the exposure video; 10 minutes during the exposure video (2 min intervals); and 20 minutes following the exposure video (2 min. intervals).)
- Laboratory rate pressure product (RPP) reactivity(20 minutes (2 minute intervals) before the exposure video; 10 minutes during the exposure video (2 min intervals); and 20 minutes following the exposure video (2 min. intervals).)
- Ambulatory diastolic BP (DABP) reactivity(19 hours (10 hours awake, 9 hours sleep))
- Ambulatory heart rate (HR) reactivity(19 hours (10 hours awake, 9 hours sleep))
Investigators
Linda Pescatello
Professor
University of Connecticut