Research Article | OPEN ACCESS
Relationship of Stress on the Eating Behaviors of Science Undergraduates in Kuala Lumpur
1N.Z.M. Saat, 2C.L. Chew, 2V. Divya, 2I. Intan Hafizah, 2P.L. Lee, 2A.H. Mohd Ramadan, 2H.Y. Ooi, 2J.L. Seah and 2W.J. Yap
1Programme of Biomedical Science, School of Science Diagnostic and Applied Health
2Programme of Nutrition, School of Healthcare Sciences, Faculty of Health Science,
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia
Research Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology 2014 8:1668-1676
Received: June 13, 2013 | Accepted: July 05, 2013 | Published: February 27, 2014
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the effect of stress on eating behaviors of the university undergraduates from Kuala Lumpur. One hundred fourteen students completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) questionnaire and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18 (TFEQ-R18). Data analysis done using SPSS 20.0 included descriptive statistics, parametric statistics, non-parametric statistics, Spearman rho’s correlation and stepwise multiple regression. Majority of the students had medium cognitive restraint (56.1%) and uncontrolled eating scores (69.3%), but low emotional eating score (43.9%). Most students had normal depression level (57.9%) and normal to moderate anxiety (86.9%) and stress level (81.6%). Male (12.92±8.83) and Malay (9.64±6.40) undergraduates had higher depression score (p<0.05). Male (18.17±2.62) and underweight (18.93±2.29) subjects obtained higher cognitive restraint score (p<0.05). There was a significant negative correlation between depression an uncontrolled eating (rs = -0.324, p<0.001, R2 = 0.103, adjusted R2 = 0.095, F (1, 112) = 12.80) and stress and emotional eating (rs = -0.301, p = 0.001). In conclusion depression and stress does affect the uncontrolled eating and emotional eating.
Keywords:
Anxiety, depression, stress, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18 (TFEQ-R18), undergraduates,
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The authors have no competing interests.
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