Purpose in life predicts allostatic load ten years later

Abstract

Objective Living a purposeful life is associated with better mental and physical health, including longevity. Accumulating evidence shows that these associations might be explained by the association between life purpose and regulation of physiological systems involved in the stress response. The aim of this study was to investigate the prospective associations between life purpose and allostatic load over a 10-year period. Methods Analyses were conducted using data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) survey. Assessment of life purpose, psychological covariates and demographics were obtained at baseline, while biomarkers of allostatic load were assessed at the 10-year follow-up. Results We found that greater life purpose predicted lower levels of allostatic load at follow-up, even when controlling for other aspects of psychological well-being potentially associated with allostatic load. Further, life purpose was also a strong predictor of individual differences in self-health locus of control—i.e., beliefs about how much influence individuals can exert on their own health—which, in turn, partially mediated the association between purpose and allostatic load. Although life purpose was also negatively linked to other-health locus of control —i.e., the extent to which individuals believe their health is controlled by others/chance —this association did not mediate the impact of life purpose on allostatic load. Conclusion The current study provides the first empirical evidence for the long-term physiological correlates of life purpose and supports the hypothesis that self-health locus of control acts as one proximal psychological mechanism through which life purpose may be linked to positive biological outcomes.

Allostatic load and biological anthropology

“…Cut-points defined by quartiles Seeman et al (1997Seeman et al ( , 2001Seeman et al ( , 2002, Seeman, Crimmins, et al (2004), Seeman, Glei, et al (2004), Kubzansky et al (1999), Karlamangla et al (2002Karlamangla et al ( , 2014, Schnorpfeil et al (2003), Weinstein et al (2003), Hampson et al (2009), Lipowicz et al (2014, Riva et al (2014), Barboza Solís et al (2015), Gale et al (2015), Horan and Widom (2015), McClure et al (2015), Zilioli et al (2015), Hansen et al (2016), Kusano et al (2016), and Robertson and Watts (2016) Cut-points defined by deciles Goldman et al (2005), Glei et al (2007), and Hwang et al (2014) Cut-points defined using clinical criteria Seeman et al (2008), Hampson et al (2009), Bird et al (2010 and Rosenberg et al (2014) Cut-points defined using a combination of clinical criteria and either deciles or quartiles (2015), Gale et al (2015), and Robertson and Watts (2016) Use of two-tailed cut-points Hampson et al (2009) and Hwang et al (2014) Use of recursive partitioning to calculate allostatic load Gruenewald et al (2006) Allostatic load scored by system rather than by biomarkers Karlamangla et al (2014), Seeman et al (2014), Gay et al (2015), and Zilioli et al (2015) Calculated allostatic...…”

“…Stressful early life experiences may negatively impact the developing HPA axis, altering responsiveness toward over-or underactivity as well as reducing resilience (Lupien et al, 2006;McEwen, 1998bMcEwen, , 2003McEwen, , 2012McEwen & Seeman, 1999). By producing life-long dysregulation of stress responses (Lupien et al, 2006;McEwen, 1998bMcEwen, , 2000aMcEwen, , 2000bMcEwen, , 2001McEwen, , 2003McEwen, , 2012 load associates significantly with greater perceived stress (Goldman et al, 2005), hostility (Kubzansky, Kawachi, & Sparrow, 1999;Seeman et al, 2002), poor coping skills (Fernandez et al, 2015), and lack of purpose in life (Zilioli et al, 2015). Conversely, those with more integrated social networks and/or greater perceived social support appear to be protected against damaging after effects of stressors and dysregulation of allostasis (Bovard, 1985;Cohen & Wills, 1985;Goldman et al, 2005; Holt-Lunstad, Smith, & Layton, 2010;Horan & Widom, 2015;Hostinar, Sullivan, & Gunnar, 2014;House, Landis, & Umberson, 1988;Levine, Coe, & Wiener, 1989;McEwen, 2012;Seeman, 1996;Seeman et al, 1994Seeman et al, , 2002Seeman, Glei, et al, 2004;Seeman & McEwen, 1996;Smith & Christakis, 2008;Uchino, 2006;Uchino, Cacioppo, & Kiecolt-Gla...…”

Psychological resources and glucoregulation in Japanese adults: Findings from MIDJA.

“…These were done to facilitate comparisons with previously published findings of well-being and metabolic syndrome and other measures of cardiometabolic risk and allostatic load in the United States (Boehm et al, 2016; Boylan & Ryff, 2015; Zilioli et al, 2015). Lack of comparability in multiple areas of assessment (i.e., lack of fasting glucose, less comprehensive measurement of physical activity, and additional well-being measures of interest) precluded conducting exactly the same set of analyses in Japan.…”

Transforming Life: A Broad View of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Concept from an Ecological Justice Perspective

“…Thus, a broader life view may diminish impulsivity [155]. Matching this, prospective research shows that higher levels of purpose in life predicts lower allostatic load [156] and purpose in life predicts greater use of preventive healthcare measures [157]. Research shows that purpose in life can mediate relationships between neighborhood disorder and parenting stress in disadvantaged communities [158]; thus, DOHaD conversations around purpose in life may be particularly important.…”