The model that was used in this research is the group of relatively healthy premenopausal women aged from 18 to 40 both obese (BMI _ 30 kg/m2) and non-obese (BMI < 30 kg/m2). The researchers made their classification based on “BMI was given the BMI-based definition of obesity” (Benson 2009, 187). The women who had varied mental conditions such as psychiatric or psychological diagnoses including depression caused by endocrine disorders were not taken to the group of the model to avoid confusing results. In addition, women with such endocrine conditions as “thyroid disorders, and conditions involving androgen disturbances such as the polycystic ovary syndrome, testosterone, SHBG, LH, FSH, estradiol, and prolactin” were also excluded to eliminate every possible laxity in the experiment (Benson 2009, 182). Only women with normal menstrual cycles and not using hormonal contraceptives became the participants of the research. The main criteria of comparison are differences in endocrine parameters including HDL levels and concentrations of hsCRP, heart rate, basal blood pressure, psychological characteristics including depressive symptoms, emotional distress, trait anxiety, chronic stress.
The organizers of the experiment aimed to test their hypotheses that obese women will show “significantly more pronounced HPA-axis activation” and “enhanced cellular immune responses when compared to non-obese women” as a response to stress and anxiety (Benson 2009, 187).
The study examined 39 women having a general age rate of 31.9 and a weight rate of 17.6 to 49.1 kg/m2(BMI 28.9 _ 1.4 kg/m2). Among them, 15 women were obese with BMI _ 30 kg/m2, and the rest 24 were non-obese with BMI < 30 kg/m2.
All the participants of the experiment including obese and non-obese women were scheduled to days one to ten by their menstrual cycle. At the initial stage of the experiment, the first blood samples were taken. Then the participants were subjected to the stress of public speaking, and the second blood sample of “anxiety” was taken. “Post stress” test was taken in ten minutes, and finally, a blood sample of “recovery” period was taken in 45 minutes. After this, all the participants filled in the questioners based on their esthesia during all the stages of the experiment.
All the while the period of preparation to researches and the researches, in particular, the women were constantly measured and tested on their hormone level, general condition of health including blood pressure, heart rate, and so on, and psychological condition including levels of anxiety and aptitude to depression.
Statistic and comparative analyses were performed to compare the results of obese and non-obese participants. To compare obese women the researchers performed independent samples t-tests and ANOVA tests. All the results were computed and evaluated based on “Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 15.0” (Benson 2009, 183).
I consider it to be an important decision to include into the method design numerous tests and measures which were taken in both groups of obese and non-obese women before the period of research and during it. The women were constantly tested on their general health rates including blood pressure, heart rate, etc., levels of hormones in and psychological condition. If compared to the other analogous research this can be acclaimed as an important design finding which aims to eliminate all the possible corrigendum.
Reference
Benson, S. et al. (2009). Effects of obesity on neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and immune cell responses to acute psychosocial stress in premenopausal women. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 34, 181—189.