Family-related stressors, emotional reactivity, and body mass index in women at cardiovascular risk.

Abstract

Introduction: According to the biobehavioral family model, family emotional climate and physiobehavioral aspects of emotional reactivity influence the physiological processes underlying health conditions. This research explored the association between family stress, emotional reactivity, and overweight in women.

Method: Participants were patients at cardiovascular risk seen at a cardiovascular wellness center for women. A psychologist conducted semistructured interviews with participants, asking specific questions to address the presence or absence of family stressors. Emotional reactivity was measured using a validated version of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21. Logistic and linear regressions were used to calculate relationships between specific family stressors, emotional reactivity scores, and body mass index (BMI).

Results: The final sample included 237 women, mean age of 60.8, who were primarily Jewish residents of Jerusalem. Increased anxiety was consistently associated with high BMI, whether in the context of parenting stress (OR = 1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI, 1.05, 1.69], p < .05), extended family stress (OR = 1.34, 95% CI [1.05, 1.71], p < .05), or marital stress (OR = 1.41, 95% CI [1.05, 1.90], p < .05). While marital stress was not directly associated with BMI, women with higher levels of general stress who also reported marital stress were more likely to exhibit high BMI (OR = 4.14, 95% CI [1.17, 14.59], p < .05).

Discussion: The interaction of marital stress and emotional reactivity (i.e., the experience of general stress) was associated with increased BMI. Further studies should evaluate the interactions between family stressors and emotional factors, which may enable the design of more effective interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).