Correlation of Perceived Stress with Eating Behaviors in Medical Students of Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Medical Sciences Branch

Stress due to the changes and increasing pressures of today's life is inevitable and is a risk factor for changing health behaviors. Changing eating-related behaviors is a style of coping with stress. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation of perceived stress with eating behaviors in medical students of Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Medical Sciences Branch in 2019. 

The present study was a descriptive-correlational study. The statistical population included all medical students studying in the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Medical Sciences Branch in 2019. Sampling was done by stratified random sampling and 300 students were selected. The instruments used included a demographic questionnaire, the “Perceived Stress Scale”, and the “Dutch's Eating Behavior Questionnaire”. Face validity and content validity ratio were measured based on the Lawshe table and reliability was measured by the internal consistency method by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data analysis was performed in SPSS. 22. 

Mean and standard deviation of perceived stress were restrained, emotional, and external eating behaviors were 26.33 (6.17), 30.38 (9.71), 33.52 (9.85), and 29.38 (7.26), respectively. A positive and significant correlation was found between perceived stress and emotional eating behavior components (r=0.450, P<0.001) and external (r=0.341, P<0.001). This correlation was moderate and 20.2% and 11.6% of the behaviors could be explained by stress, respectively. Also, the correlation between perceived stress and restraint was inverse and significant but weak (r= -0.270, P<0.001), and only 7.3% of restrained eating behavior was explained by perceived stress. 

There is a positive correlation between perceived stress and emotional and external eating behavior components and a negative correlation with the restrained eating component. Understanding stress can be an important therapeutic goal for inappropriate eating behaviors among students. Therefore, it is suggested to carry out intervention programs to improve people's eating behaviors and control obesity by considering the state of tension.