142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

306042
Association between perceived stress and obesity: Implications for community-based obesity prevention programs

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Wednesday, November 19, 2014

James Buszkiewicz, MPH , Division of Prevention and Wellness, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA
Bonnie Andrews, MPH, CPH , Office of Statistics and Evaluation, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA
Andrea Pinzon-Marquardt, MPH , Division of Prevention and Wellness, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA
Laura Nasuti, MPH , Division of Prevention and Wellness, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA
Wenjun Li, PhD , Health Statistics and Geography Lab, Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA
Thomas Land, PhD , Office of the Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA
INTRODUCTION: Perceived stress has been associated with obesogenic behaviors such as emotional eating and consumption of high-fat foods. We assessed perceived stress and its association with obesity in a random sample of residents living in communities participating in Mass in Motion (MiM) and non-MiM communities. MiM uses environmental approaches to promote healthy eating and active living in 52 Massachusetts communities. METHODS: Data were collected using a telephone survey of 1,262 residents age 18 and older. Perceived stress was measured using Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using self-reported height and weight. Logistic regression was used to estimate odd ratios for being obese (BMI ≥ 30) based on continuous perceived stress score while adjusting for gender, age, race/ethnicity, income, education, employment status, and marital status, as well as living in an MiM community. RESULTS: Mean PPS-10 score was 14.40, SD 4.72, with higher scores associated with obesity status, income, education, employment status, and marital status. 28.5% of the respondents were obese. In the model, higher levels of perceived stress were significantly associated with obesity (adjusted OR, 1.04; 95% CI 1.01 – 1.08, p=0.02); also associated with obesity were age group, employment status, marital status, and educational attainment. CONCLUSIONS: While increasing access to healthier options and promoting healthy behaviors, community-based obesity prevention programs should also assess residents’ perception of their environment and barriers to healthy living such as experience of stress as part of program design and implementation.

Learning Areas:

Chronic disease management and prevention
Epidemiology
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe the evaluation of Mass in Motion, a community-based obesity prevention program taking place in 52 Massachusetts communities. Demonstrate the relationship between perceived stress and obesity after adjustment for sociodemographic factors. Discuss the potential implications of assessing perceived stress as part of implementing community-based obesity prevention programs.

Keyword(s): Stress, Obesity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Bonnie Andrews, MPH, is the Deputy Director of the Office of Statistics and Evaluation in the Bureau of Community Health and Prevention at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. She oversees community-based data collection initiatives for the Bureau, including oversight of data collection and analysis for Mass in Motion, a statewide obesity prevention initiative promoting healthy eating and active living in 52 communities across the state.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.