The Relationship between Stress and Eating Habits of University Students

BACKGROUND: Recently, many studies have reported that university students have been suffering from stress because of their the uncertainty of their future and employment. Eating habits have often been considered as one of health-related behaviors that may be affected by life stress. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between stress and eating habits in university students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was designed. The subjects were 282 university students which assessed their eating habits and stresses. The total numbs of students in the study 263. Eating habits were scored using a questionnaire consisting of three categories-regularity, balance, and preference. The stress was assessed by modified Korean version of BEPSI. RESULTS: The stress score was 2.4 and the total score of eating habits was 44.2. The regularity among the domains of eating habits was 14.1, the balance score was 16.1, and the preference was 14.0. In multiple regression after adjustment with confounding variables, stress had a negative relationship with eating habits. CONCLUSION: The relationship between stress and eating habits was statistically significant, especially in regularity and balance. It is important to know not only the health status, but also the factors associated with health such as stresses and eating habits in order to improve the health status of the university students. Further research needs to uncover causality and make a generalization.

The Relationship between Tobacco Price Rises and Willingness to Quit Smoking among University Students / 한국역학회지

BACKGROUND: The smoking rate of adult male is 68.2% in Korea and that of adolescent and women has risen recently. Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to raise the price of cigarettes by 1,000 Won per pack this year in hopes of securing funds to aid the underprivileged and discourage excessive smoking. In this study, we tried to find the relationship between tobacco price increase and willingness to quit smoking among university students, and the factors associated with willingness to quit smoking. METHOD: The data were collected by questionnaire survey from 225 university students living in Seoul. The questionnaire contained items on age, sex, smoking history, economical status and the intention to quit smoking when the tobacco price be raised. RESULT: The proportion of smokers who has the intention to quit smoking if the price of tobacco be raised by 3,000 Won was 46.2%. The factors associated with willingness to quit smoking were age of initiating smoking, opinion for price of cigarette, self efficacy scores, current plans to quit smoking, and viewpoint of changes in the rate of smokers. CONCLUSION: The results showed that tobacco price rises will increase willingness to quit smoking among university students.