The cortisol awakening response (CAR) is a discrete component of the circadian cortisol profile. Evidence suggests that the CAR is a deviation from the pre-awakening increase in cortisol concentration, although this has yet to be replicated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to replicate this finding and to investigate further the extent to which the CAR is distinct from the circadian profile.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInsufficient sleep (short sleep duration and poor sleep quality) is associated with obesity risk. Emerging adults (ages 18-28 years) have a greater risk of excess weight gain and insufficient sleep, and these risks are higher in Black individuals. Using a measurement burst design, we assessed associations between sleep with energy balance components and obesity marker changes over 6 months in 15 Black emerging adults (12 females; age 21±2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Childhood obesity remains a public health crisis and identification of unique prenatal and early infancy predictors of obesity risk are critically needed.
Objectives: We test a comprehensive biopsychosocial model of the predictors of rapid weight gain (RWG) in the first 6 months of life.
Methods: Two hundred and ninety nine pregnant women and their infants participated.
Introduction: Black emerging adults (18-28 years) have the highest risk of short sleep duration and obesity. This increased risk may be partly explained by greater stress levels, which may result from race-related stress (racial discrimination and heightened race-related vigilance) or living in more disadvantaged home and neighbourhood environments. Insufficient sleep may also impact obesity risk via several weight-related mechanisms including energy balance, appetite and food reward, cortisol profiles and hydration status.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The primary aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of the weight, urine, and thirst (WUT) framework in predicting dehydration after a body water manipulation protocol, while concurrently determining the individual and interactive contributions of the model components.
Methods: The total study sample was 93 participants (female, n = 47), recruited from two institutions. Phase 1 involved collecting daily hydration measures from free-living participants (study 1, 58 participants for 3 d; study 2, 35 participants for 7 d).