title: Psychosocial stress is associated with obesity and diet quality in Hispanic/Latino adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association of psychosocial stress with obesity, adiposity, and dietary intake in a diverse sample of Hispanic/Latino adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 5077 men and women, aged 18 to 74 years, from diverse Hispanic/Latino ethnic backgrounds. Linear regression models were used to assess the association of ongoing chronic stressors and recent perceived stress with measures of adiposity (waist circumference and percentage body fat) and dietary intake (total energy, saturated fat, alternative healthy eating index-2010). Multinomial logistic models were used to describe the odds of obesity or overweight relative to normal weight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Greater number of chronic stressors and greater perceived stress were associated with higher total energy intake. Greater recent perceived stress was associated with lower diet quality as indicated by alternative healthy eating index-2010 scores. Compared with no stressors, reporting three or more chronic stressors was associated with higher odds of being obese (odds ratio = 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-2.1), greater waist circumference (β = 3.3, 95% CI 1.0-5.5), and percentage body fat (β = 1.5, 95% CI 0.4-2.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study found an association between stress and obesity and adiposity measures, suggesting that stress management techniques may be useful in obesity prevention and treatment programs that target Hispanic/Latino populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. Electronic address: carmen.isasi@einstein.yu.edu.
authors.forename: Carmen R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Isasi
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, The Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Parrinello
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.
authors.forename: Molly M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Mercedes R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Carnethon
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Miami, FL.
authors.forename: Orit
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Birnbaum-Weitzman
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA.
authors.forename: Rebeca A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Espinoza
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Penedo
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Policy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Krista M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Perreira
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Miami, FL.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schneiderman
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sotres-Alvarez
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Horn
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA.
authors.forename: Linda C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Gallo
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology*; D002149:Energy Intake; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000208:ethnology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dietary intake; Obesity; Psychosocial stress