Association of optimism with cardiometabolic risk in adolescents

Dispositional optimism is a psychological trait associated with cardiovascular disease outcomes in adults. However, it is not known whether these associations are present in adolescents. We attempted to determine whether an association exits between optimism and 9 biomarkers of cardiometabolic risk during adolescence. Because cardiometabolic risk differs by race and ethnicity, we also explored whether race and ethnicity moderated the optimism-cardiometabolic risk relationship.

This was a cross-sectional study of 529 non-Hispanic white and 421 non-Hispanic black seventh through 12th graders living in greater Cincinnati in 2001-2002. We measured dispositional optimism with the Life-Orientation Test-Revised as a single continuum and as separate optimism and pessimism dimensions. Multivariable regression analyses tested for associations between optimism and nine biomarkers of risk (interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, lipids, insulin, glucose, and fibrinogen), adjusting for age, gender, parent education, body mass index, smoking, and pubertal stage.

Dispositional optimism with the Life-Orientation Test-Revised as a single continuum was inversely associated with two risks (interleukin-6, β = -.03, p = .02; insulin, β = -.02, p = .01), but only among blacks. Optimism and pessimism were inversely related (R = -.27, p < .001) and both were higher in blacks than whites (p < .001). Optimism was directly associated with high-density lipoprotein among all subjects (β = .42, p = .03), and among blacks (β = .74, p = .02) but not whites. Among blacks, optimism was also inversely associated with interleukin-6 (β = -.07, p = .001) and triglycerides (β = -.02, p = .04). Pessimism was inversely associated with glucose, but only in whites (β = -.38, p = .03).

Associations between dispositional optimism and cardiometabolic risks are present in adolescence and vary by race and ethnicity. A better understanding of the natural history of these associations over the lifespan may help decrease disparities and prevent cardiometabolic disease.