Job Stress Linked to Increased Blood Fat Levels

MADRIDStress has been linked to the risk of suffering cardiovascular disease as a result of unhealthy habits, such as smoking, poor diet or sedentary lifestyle. Now, new research published in the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health suggests work-related stress can cause dyslipidemia, a disorder that alters the levels of lipids and lipoproteins in the blood.

Spanish researchers from the Sociedad de Prevención de Ibermutuamur, in collaboration with experts from the Virgen de la Victoria Hospital (Malaga) and the Santiago de Compostela University, analyzed the relationship between job stress and different parameters associated with how fatty acids are metabolized in the body. The study was conducted on a sample population of more than 90,000 workers undergoing medical check-ups.

"The workers who stated that they had experienced difficulties in dealing with their job during the previous twelve months (8.7% of the sample) had a higher risk of suffering from dyslipidemia," said Carlos Catalina, clinical psychologist and an expert in work-related stress.

Dyslipidemia is a lipoproteins' metabolic disorder that can manifest itself in an increase in total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) and triglyceride levels, in addition to a drop in high-density lipoproteins (HDLs).

Specifically, in the study the workers with job stress were more likely to suffer from abnormally high levels of LDL cholesterol, excessively low levels of HDL cholesterol (the 'good' cholesterol) and positive atherogenic indices, i.e. potential artery blockage.

"One of the mechanisms that could explain the relationship between stress and cardiovascular risk could be the changes in our lipid profile, which means higher rates of atheromatous plaque accumulation (lipids deposit) in our arteries," Catalina said.