Association between stress and eating behaviour among Malaysian adolescents prior to examination

Nurfazlinda Md Shah; Nasrin Aghamohammadi; Nithiah Thangiah; Ai Kah Ng; Hazreen Abdul Majid

doi:10.1038/s41598-023-34699-3

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Association between stress and eating behaviour among Malaysian adolescents prior to examination

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Association between stress and eating behaviour among Malaysian adolescents prior to examination

Nurfazlinda Md Shah, Nasrin Aghamohammadi, Nithiah Thangiah, Ai Kah Ng and Hazreen Abdul Majid

Scientific reports, Vol.13(1), 7841

2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-34699-3

PMID: 37188720

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Abstract

Adolescent

Child

Cross-Sectional Studies

Feeding Behavior - psychology

Female

Humans

Hydrocortisone

Male

Obesity - epidemiology

Surveys and Questionnaires

Thinness

Studies have shown the prevalence of mental health and obesity among adolescents is at increasing trend due to urbanisation and changes in lifestyle. This study is to investigate the level of stress and its impact on eating behaviour among Malaysian adolescents. A total of 797 multi-ethnic Malaysian secondary school student participated in this cross-sectional study. Data was collected two weeks prior to final year examination. A validated Cohen Perceived Stress Scale questionnaire was used to assess the stress level with subsample analysis of 261 participants’ saliva cortisol level. A validated Child Eating Behaviour questionnaire was used to explore eating behaviours. There were 29.1% adolescents having high stress with the mean saliva cortisol 3.8 nmol/L. A positive correlation was observed between perceived stress and emotional overeating; stronger among urban (r = 0.32), female (r = 0.31), underweight (r = 0.34) and moderately stressed adolescents (r = 0.24). In addition, a positive correlation was found between perceived stress and food responsiveness; strongest among Malay (r = 0.23), male (r = 0.24), underweight (r = 0.30) and adolescents with high perceived stress (r = 0.24). The perceived stress level prior to exam period affects the emotional eating and external eating patterns of adolescents.

Details

Title: Association between stress and eating behaviour among Malaysian adolescents prior to examination
Authors/Creators: Nurfazlinda Md Shah - Centre for Population Health (CePH), Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Nasrin Aghamohammadi - University of Malaya
Nithiah Thangiah - University of Malaya
Ai Kah Ng - University of Malaya
Hazreen Abdul Majid - Health Sciences University
Publication Details: Scientific reports, Vol.13(1), 7841
Publisher: Springer Nature
Identifiers: 991005618229407891
Murdoch Affiliation: Health Futures Institute
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 1 Clinical & Life Sciences; 1.44 Nutrition & Dietetics; 1.44.335 Eating Disorders
Web Of Science research areas: Nutrition & Dietetics
ESI research areas: Social Sciences, general