Type A behavior and metabolic syndrome precursors in young adults

The association between type A behavior and a cluster of parameters of the metabolic syndrome was studied in 919 randomly selected healthy young adults. Type A behavior was measured using the Type A Behavior Questionnaire for the Finnish Multicenter Study and the Hunter Wolf A-B Rating Scale. The results showed that type A men scored higher on the "Metabolic Syndrome Precursors Factor," representing a metabolic entity, than did non-type A men. In addition, type A behavior had a moderating effect on the relationship between parameters of the metabolic syndrome, that is, interdependence of these somatic factors was stronger in type A men than in non-type A men. These findings were not true of women. It is discussed whether type A behavior might affect bodily functions through increased activity along the pituitary-adrenal system resulting in insulin resistance, compensatory hyperinsulinemia, and other characteristics of the metabolic syndrome.