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.
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 Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
49
The participants watched a 10 minute video on a computer screen that consisted of brief clips from popular television shows that depicted women with overweight and obesity and evoked negative weight-based stereotypes (e.g., clumsy, loud, and lazy). Both the high blood pressure and normal blood pressure arms participated in this intervention.
The participants watched a 10 minute video on a computer screen that consisted of a series of clips depicting neutral scenes (e.g., insurance commercials). Both the high blood pressure and normal blood pressure arms participated in this intervention.
Ambulatory systolic BP (SABP) reactivity
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.
Time frame: 19 hours (10 hours awake, 9 hours sleep)
Laboratory systolic blood pressure (SBP) reactivity
Laboratory SBP reactivity was calculated as the change in SBP in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) during the stigma video exposure (STIGMA) and the neutral video exposure (NEUTRAL) and 20-minute post-STIGMA and NEUTRAL minus baseline SBP.
Time frame: 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
Ambulatory DABP reactivity was calculated as the change in hourly DABP values (mmHg) over the awake (10 hours), sleep (9 hours), and 19 hours minus average baseline DABP following STIGMA and NEUTRAL.
Time frame: 19 hours (10 hours awake, 9 hours sleep)
Laboratory diastolic blood pressure (DBP) reactivity
Laboratory DBP reactivity was calculated as the change in DBP in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) during the stigma video exposure (STIGMA) and the neutral video exposure (NEUTRAL) and 20-minute post-STIGMA and NEUTRAL minus baseline DBP.
Time frame: 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 heart rate (HR) reactivity
Laboratory HR reactivity was calculated as the change in HR in beats per minute (bpm) during the stigma video exposure (STIGMA) and the neutral video exposure (NEUTRAL) and 20-minute post-STIGMA and NEUTRAL minus baseline BP.
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Time frame: 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 heart rate (HR) reactivity
Ambulatory heart rate (HR) reactivity was calculated as the change in hourly HR values (bpm) over the awake (10 hours), sleep (9 hours), and 19 hours minus average baseline HR following STIGMA and NEUTRAL.
Time frame: 19 hours (10 hours awake, 9 hours sleep)
Ambulatory rate pressure product (RPP) reactivity
Ambulatory RPP reactivity in mmHg\*bpm was calculated as ambulatory SBP cardiovascular reactivity (mmHg) multiplied by ambulatory HR reactivity (bpm) (i.e., SBP x HR).
Time frame: 19 hours (10 hours awake, 9 hours sleep)
Laboratory rate pressure product (RPP) reactivity
Laboratory RPP reactivity in mmHg\*bpm was calculated as laboratory SBP cardiovascular reactivity (mmHg) multiplied by laboratory HR reactivity (bpm) (i.e., SBP x HR).
Time frame: 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).