Eight Weeks of Lifestyle Change: What are the Effects of the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme (Cohort 1) on Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) and Perceived Stress?
Background: Stress and cortisol dysregulation are linked to NCDs. Moreover, stress favours unhealthy lifestyle patterns, which increase the risk for NCDs. The role of the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) and the effect of lifestyle interventions on the same remain unclear. Methods: The impact of th...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Chronic Stress |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/24705470221099206 |
| _version_ | 1828174666469998592 |
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| author | Corinna Anand MSc Karin Hengst MD Reinhold Gellner MD Heike Englert PhD |
| author_facet | Corinna Anand MSc Karin Hengst MD Reinhold Gellner MD Heike Englert PhD |
| author_sort | Corinna Anand MSc |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Stress and cortisol dysregulation are linked to NCDs. Moreover, stress favours unhealthy lifestyle patterns, which increase the risk for NCDs. The role of the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) and the effect of lifestyle interventions on the same remain unclear. Methods: The impact of the intensive 8-week phase of the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme (HLCP, cohort 1) on parameters of the CAR, ie cortisol values 0 (sample [S]1), 30), 45 and 60 minutes post-awakening, average peak, S1-peak delta and area under the increase curve (AUC I ), and perceived stress levels (PSL) was evaluated in a non-randomized, controlled trial. Covariates of the CAR (eg sleep measures) and irregularities in sampling were assessed. The intervention focussed on stress management, a healthy diet, regular exercise, and social support. Participants were recruited from the general population. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. Results: 97 participants (age: 56 ± 10 years; 71% female), with 68 in the intervention group (IG; age: 55 ± 8, 77% female) and 29 participants in the control group (CG; age: 59 ± 12, 59% female), were included in the analysis. The baseline characteristics of both groups were comparable, except participants of IG were younger. On average, the PSL at baseline was low in both groups (IG: 9.7 ± 5.4 points; CG: 8.5 ± 6.9 points; p = .165), but 22% (n = 15) in the IG and 20% (n = 6) in the CG reported a high PSL. Most participants reported irregularities in CAR sampling, eg interruption of sleep (IG: 80% CG: 81%). After 8 weeks, most CAR parameters and the PSL decreased in the IG and CG, resulting in no differences of change between the groups. In the IG only, a decrease of PSL was linked to an increase of CAR parameters, eg AUC I (correlation coefficient = −0.307; p = .017). Conclusion: The HLCP may potentially reduce PSL and change the CAR, but results cannot be clearly attributed to the programme. Methodological challenges and multiple confounders, limit suitability of the CAR in the context of lifestyle interventions. Other measures (eg hair-cortisol) may give further insights. Trial registration : German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS); DRKS00018821; www.drks.de |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:16:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-12d7c3c1357e466e843bf3e93cf5863c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2470-5470 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:16:20Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Chronic Stress |
| spelling | doaj.art-12d7c3c1357e466e843bf3e93cf5863c2022-12-22T03:48:23ZengSAGE PublishingChronic Stress2470-54702022-09-01610.1177/24705470221099206Eight Weeks of Lifestyle Change: What are the Effects of the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme (Cohort 1) on Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) and Perceived Stress?Corinna Anand MSc0Karin Hengst MD1Reinhold Gellner MD2Heike Englert PhD3 Department of Food Nutrition Facilities, , Muenster Faculty of Medicine, (WWU), Muenster Faculty of Medicine, (WWU), Muenster Department of Food Nutrition Facilities, , MuensterBackground: Stress and cortisol dysregulation are linked to NCDs. Moreover, stress favours unhealthy lifestyle patterns, which increase the risk for NCDs. The role of the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) and the effect of lifestyle interventions on the same remain unclear. Methods: The impact of the intensive 8-week phase of the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme (HLCP, cohort 1) on parameters of the CAR, ie cortisol values 0 (sample [S]1), 30), 45 and 60 minutes post-awakening, average peak, S1-peak delta and area under the increase curve (AUC I ), and perceived stress levels (PSL) was evaluated in a non-randomized, controlled trial. Covariates of the CAR (eg sleep measures) and irregularities in sampling were assessed. The intervention focussed on stress management, a healthy diet, regular exercise, and social support. Participants were recruited from the general population. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. Results: 97 participants (age: 56 ± 10 years; 71% female), with 68 in the intervention group (IG; age: 55 ± 8, 77% female) and 29 participants in the control group (CG; age: 59 ± 12, 59% female), were included in the analysis. The baseline characteristics of both groups were comparable, except participants of IG were younger. On average, the PSL at baseline was low in both groups (IG: 9.7 ± 5.4 points; CG: 8.5 ± 6.9 points; p = .165), but 22% (n = 15) in the IG and 20% (n = 6) in the CG reported a high PSL. Most participants reported irregularities in CAR sampling, eg interruption of sleep (IG: 80% CG: 81%). After 8 weeks, most CAR parameters and the PSL decreased in the IG and CG, resulting in no differences of change between the groups. In the IG only, a decrease of PSL was linked to an increase of CAR parameters, eg AUC I (correlation coefficient = −0.307; p = .017). Conclusion: The HLCP may potentially reduce PSL and change the CAR, but results cannot be clearly attributed to the programme. Methodological challenges and multiple confounders, limit suitability of the CAR in the context of lifestyle interventions. Other measures (eg hair-cortisol) may give further insights. Trial registration : German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS); DRKS00018821; www.drks.dehttps://doi.org/10.1177/24705470221099206 |
| spellingShingle | Corinna Anand MSc Karin Hengst MD Reinhold Gellner MD Heike Englert PhD Eight Weeks of Lifestyle Change: What are the Effects of the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme (Cohort 1) on Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) and Perceived Stress? Chronic Stress |
| title | Eight Weeks of Lifestyle Change: What are the Effects of the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme (Cohort 1) on Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) and Perceived Stress? |
| title_full | Eight Weeks of Lifestyle Change: What are the Effects of the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme (Cohort 1) on Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) and Perceived Stress? |
| title_fullStr | Eight Weeks of Lifestyle Change: What are the Effects of the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme (Cohort 1) on Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) and Perceived Stress? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Eight Weeks of Lifestyle Change: What are the Effects of the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme (Cohort 1) on Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) and Perceived Stress? |
| title_short | Eight Weeks of Lifestyle Change: What are the Effects of the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme (Cohort 1) on Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) and Perceived Stress? |
| title_sort | eight weeks of lifestyle change what are the effects of the healthy lifestyle community programme cohort 1 on cortisol awakening response car and perceived stress |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/24705470221099206 |
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