Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 9, 2025

A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents

A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents

Published on: July 10, 2017

Integrating anthropometric and cardiometabolic health methods in stress, early experiences, and development (SEED)

Jenalee R Doom¹, Brie M Reid², Emily Nagel³

¹Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA.

Developmental Psychobiology

|September 9, 2020

Insights

Integrating child physical health measures into Stress, Early Experiences, and Development (SEED) research offers a comprehensive view of risk and resilience. This approach enhances understanding of chronic disease links and promotes interventions for children facing early stress.

Area of Science:

Developmental psychology
Pediatric health
Stress and psychopathology research

Background:

Growing evidence links early life stress, development, and psychopathology with chronic disease risk factors.
Current Stress, Early Experiences, and Development (SEED) research often omits crucial physical health indicators.
Including anthropometric and health measures can provide a more complete picture of risk and resilience pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

To advocate for the integration of child anthropometric and physical health measures within SEED research.
To identify optimal, low-burden, and cost-effective measurement methods for infancy through adolescence.
To facilitate collaboration and enhance the robustness of SEED research findings.

Main Methods:

Review of optimal anthropometric measurements: waist, hip, head circumference, height, length, weight, pubertal development, body composition.
Review of cardiometabolic health measures: blood pressure, arterial stiffness, carotid intima media thickness.
Review of serum biomarkers for cardiometabolic risk and inflammation.

Main Results:

Identified a range of feasible and validated methods for assessing physical health in children.
Highlighted the benefits of harmonized measurement protocols for data aggregation and replication.
Provided resources to aid researchers in adopting these measures and finding collaborators.

Conclusions:

Integrating physical health measures into SEED science is essential for a comprehensive understanding of development.
This integration will strengthen theoretical models and inform interventions promoting health and resilience.
Harmonized physical health assessments can significantly advance research on early stress and long-term outcomes.

Read full analysis

Abstract:

Within Stress, Early Experiences, and Development (SEED) science, there is a growing body of research demonstrating complex associations not only between stress, development, and psychopathology, but also with chronic disease risk factors. We argue that it is important for SEED researchers to consider including child anthropometric and physical health measures to more comprehensively capture processes of risk and resilience. Broader adoption of harmonized anthropometry and health measures in SEED research will facilitate collaborations, yielding larger datasets for research in high-risk populations, and greater opportunity to replicate existing findings. In this review, we identify optimal anthropometric and cardiometabolic health measurement methods used from infancy through adolescence, including those that are low-burden and inexpensive. Methods covered include: waist, hip, and head circumference, height, length, weight, pubertal development, body composition, blood pressure, arterial stiffness, carotid intima media thickness, and serum measures of cardiometabolic risk and inflammation. We provide resources for SEED researchers to integrate these methods into projects or to better understand these methods when reading the literature as well as where to find collaborators for more in-depth studies incorporating these measures. With broader integration of psychological and physical health measures in SEED research, we can better inform theory and interventions to promote health and resilience in individuals who have experienced early stress.

Keywords:

anthropometry body composition cardiometabolic health development inflammation puberty stress

More Related Videos

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System ANS Activity in Toddlers - Resting and Developmental Challenges

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System ANS Activity in Toddlers - Resting and Developmental Challenges

Published on: February 25, 2016

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Related Concept Videos

Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease

Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is a multidisciplinary field that examines how psychological factors, particularly stress, interact with the immune system and impact physical health. Research in PNI has shown that chronic or traumatic stress can disrupt both the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system. These disruptions contribute to serious health conditions, including cardiovascular diseases.
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...

Physiological Foundation of Stress

Physiological Foundation of Stress

Stress triggers a coordinated physiological response involving the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This dual activation ensures that the body is prepared for both immediate and prolonged stress management. The process begins with the perception of a stressor. This initial phase activates the SNS, leading to the rapid release of adrenaline (epinephrine) from the adrenal glands.
Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System
Adrenaline triggers the...

Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle

Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle

Stress is a multifaceted response to events perceived as challenging or threatening, highlighting physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral reactions. Physically, stress can lead to fatigue, sleep disruptions, and various health issues such as frequent colds, chest pains, and nausea. Emotionally, it can manifest as anxiety, depression, irritability, and anger triggered by both minor and major life events. Cognitively, it may result in difficulty in concentration, memory, and...

Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI

Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI

Adopting a healthier lifestyle often requires overcoming significant challenges, but leveraging psychological, social, and cultural resources can facilitate meaningful change. Effective self-change hinges on understanding and applying key tools such as motivation and goal setting, which help sustain efforts toward long-term health benefits.
Motivation and Self-Determination
Motivation, the driving force behind behavior, plays a pivotal role at every stage of the change process. The research...

Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer

Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer

Chronic stress has been linked to both the onset and progression of serious health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes and cancer. Type 2 diabetes, a widespread chronic illness, is closely associated with obesity and insulin resistance, both of which often worsen under stress. Studies indicate that men experiencing high levels of chronic stress face a 45% higher risk of developing diabetes compared to those with minimal stress. Stress triggers physiological responses that elevate blood...

Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques I

Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques I

Stress prevention and management are crucial for maintaining well-being and building resilience. Techniques to manage stress include cultivating qualities like conscientiousness, a sense of personal control, and self-efficacy. Each of these traits significantly reduces stress and promotes healthier lifestyle choices and outcomes.
Conscientiousness
Conscientious individuals tend to be organized, responsible, and disciplined. They prioritize completing tasks and following structured routines,...

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

A Tale of Two Cohorts: Comparing HPV Vaccination Barriers and Facilitators Among HIV-Negative and HIV-Positive Women in Tennessee.

International journal of environmental research and public health·2026

Primarily Null Associations Between the Nursing Child Assessment Feeding Scale and Maternal Feeding Behaviors, Infant Eating Behaviors, Diet, and Growth: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Nutrients·2026

A home-based progressive-ratio task for assessing food reinforcement in infancy: Developmental sensitivity at 9 and 12 months.

Appetite·2026

Documented In-Hospital Lactation Support and Exclusive Breastfeeding During the Postpartum Stay.

JAMA network open·2026

Cortisol Stress Response is Associated with Iron Status in Pregnancy.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026

Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations Between Weight Perception and Cardiometabolic Health Among Adolescents Followed Into Emerging Adulthood.

Preventing chronic disease·2026

See all related articles