title: Sex Differences in Relationship between Stress Responses and Lifestyle in Japanese Workers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examined the relationships between stress responses and lifestyle, including sleeping and eating behaviors, in Japanese workers according to sex.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires about stress responses and lifestyle were completed by 3,017 workers in a financial enterprise (41.5% men, 58.5% women). Data were collected in Japan in August 2011. Participants were classified into stress and nonstress groups. Relationships between stress responses and lifestyle were investigated using logistic regression analysis with stress response as a dependent variable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 254 (8.4%) participants in the stress group and 2,763 (91.6%) in the nonstress group. The results showed that sleeping for shorter periods [odds ratio (OR) = 2.97, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.58-5.60] was associated with stress responses in women, whereas we found no relationship between stress responses and lifestyle among men. However, working overtime was associated with stress responses in men (OR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.43-5.15). Eating at night was associated with stress responses in the univariate analysis (men: OR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.16-3.80; women: OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.09-2.39).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that stress responses were related to lifestyle among women but not among men. Among women, stress responses were related to sleeping for shorter periods, whereas they were related to working long hours among men. In addition, stress responses were related to eating at night in the univariate analysis, although this relationship was not seen in the multivariate analysis, in either sex.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ocahanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Humanities and Sciences, Ocahanomizu University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akamatsu
keywords: eating at night; lifestyle; stress response; workers