TY - JOUR
T1 - High perceived stress is associated with unfavorable eating behavior in overweight and obese Finns of working age
AU - Järvelä-Reijonen, Elina
AU - Karhunen, Leila
AU - Sairanen, Essi
AU - Rantala, Sanni
AU - Laitinen, Jaana
AU - Puttonen, Sampsa
AU - Peuhkuri, Katri
AU - Hallikainen, Maarit
AU - Juvonen, Kristiina
AU - Myllymäki, Tero
AU - Föhr, Tiina
AU - Pihlajamäki, Jussi
AU - Korpela, Riitta
AU - Ermes, Miikka
AU - Lappalainen, Raimo
AU - Kolehmainen, Marjukka
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - Stress-related eating may be a potential factor in the
obesity epidemic. Rather little is known about how stress
associates with eating behavior and food intake in
overweight individuals in a free-living situation. Thus,
the present study aims to investigate this question in
psychologically distressed overweight and obese
working-aged Finns.
The study is a cross-sectional baseline analysis of a
randomized controlled trial. Of the 339 study
participants, those with all the needed data available (n
= 297, 84% females) were included. The mean age was 48.9
y (SD = 7.6) and mean body mass index 31.3 kg/m2 (SD =
3.0). Perceived stress and eating behavior were assessed
by self-reported questionnaires Perceived Stress Scale
(PSS), Intuitive Eating Scale, the Three-Factor Eating
Questionnaire, Health and Taste Attitude Scales and
ecSatter Inventory. Diet and alcohol consumption were
assessed by 48-h dietary recall, Index of Diet Quality,
and AUDIT-C.
Individuals reporting most perceived stress (i.e. in the
highest PSS tertile) had less intuitive eating, more
uncontrolled eating, and more emotional eating compared
to those reporting less perceived stress (p <0.05).
Moreover, individuals in the highest PSS tertile reported
less cognitive restraint and less eating competence than
those in the lowest tertile (p <0.05). Intake of whole
grain products was the lowest among those in the highest
PSS tertile (p <0.05). Otherwise the quality of diet and
alcohol consumption did not differ among the PSS
tertiles.
In conclusion, high perceived stress was associated with
the features of eating behavior that could in turn
contribute to difficulties in weight management.
Stress-related way of eating could thus form a potential
risk factor for obesity. More research is needed to
develop efficient methods for clinicians to assist in
handling stress-related eating in the treatment of obese
people.
AB - Stress-related eating may be a potential factor in the
obesity epidemic. Rather little is known about how stress
associates with eating behavior and food intake in
overweight individuals in a free-living situation. Thus,
the present study aims to investigate this question in
psychologically distressed overweight and obese
working-aged Finns.
The study is a cross-sectional baseline analysis of a
randomized controlled trial. Of the 339 study
participants, those with all the needed data available (n
= 297, 84% females) were included. The mean age was 48.9
y (SD = 7.6) and mean body mass index 31.3 kg/m2 (SD =
3.0). Perceived stress and eating behavior were assessed
by self-reported questionnaires Perceived Stress Scale
(PSS), Intuitive Eating Scale, the Three-Factor Eating
Questionnaire, Health and Taste Attitude Scales and
ecSatter Inventory. Diet and alcohol consumption were
assessed by 48-h dietary recall, Index of Diet Quality,
and AUDIT-C.
Individuals reporting most perceived stress (i.e. in the
highest PSS tertile) had less intuitive eating, more
uncontrolled eating, and more emotional eating compared
to those reporting less perceived stress (p <0.05).
Moreover, individuals in the highest PSS tertile reported
less cognitive restraint and less eating competence than
those in the lowest tertile (p <0.05). Intake of whole
grain products was the lowest among those in the highest
PSS tertile (p <0.05). Otherwise the quality of diet and
alcohol consumption did not differ among the PSS
tertiles.
In conclusion, high perceived stress was associated with
the features of eating behavior that could in turn
contribute to difficulties in weight management.
Stress-related way of eating could thus form a potential
risk factor for obesity. More research is needed to
develop efficient methods for clinicians to assist in
handling stress-related eating in the treatment of obese
people.
KW - perceived stress
KW - eating behavior
KW - intuitive eating
KW - emotional eating
KW - dietary intake
KW - obesity
U2 - 10.1016/j.appet.2016.04.023
DO - 10.1016/j.appet.2016.04.023
M3 - Article
VL - 103
SP - 249
EP - 258
JO - Appetite
JF - Appetite
SN - 0195-6663
ER -