Job stress related to glyco‐lipid allostatic load, adiponectin and visfatin

Abstract

AbstractJob stress has been associated with an increased risk for glyco‐lipid metabolic dysfunction, which can lead to coronary artery disease, diabetes and other adverse health outcomes. We undertook a cross‐sectional study to evaluate the relationship between job stress and glyco‐lipid metabolic change in healthy industrial employees in China. Volunteers (n = 504) were investigated during the routine annual health examination period between June and August 2006. Job stress was assessed by the 22‐item Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), which included three dimensions: job control, job demand and social support. Glyco‐lipid metabolic status was determined by the glyco‐lipid allostatic load based on the allostasis paradigm and the concept of allostatic load. There were 11 parameters comprising the glyco‐lipid allostatic load: body mass index (BMI); waist to hip ratio (WHR); high‐density lipoprotein (HDL); low‐density lipoprotein (LDL); total cholesterol (TC); triglyceride (TG); glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C); homeostasis model assessment‐insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR); HOMA‐β‐cell function; plasma concentrations of adiponectin; and visfatin. Score points were given for values in the high‐risk quartile (0–11). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed that BMI, WHR, TG, adiponectin, visfatin and glyco‐lipid allostatic load were significantly different between high and low job stress groups after being adjusted for demographic characteristics and health‐related behaviour. Plasma adiponectin levels were negatively correlated with BMI, WHR, HbA1C, TG, IR and visfatin, and positively correlated with HDL. Plasma concentration of visfatin was positively correlated with BMI, WHR, TC and IR. Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis indicated that job control was significantly related to glyco‐lipid allostatic load, plasma adiponectin concentration and plasma visfatin concentration after controlling for demographic characteristics and health‐related behaviour. In conclusion, we found association between job stress, job control and the glyco‐lipid metabolism summary score. Plasma adiponectin and visfatin concentrations related with job stress and job control. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.