Table 2.
Studies describing associations between stress and eating in Hispanic/Latinx samples, organized by domain of stress assessed.
| Authors (Year) | Participant Characteristics (% female) | Stress Measure | Eating Measure | Findings: Effect of Stress on Eating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perceived stress | ||||
| Fabian et al., 2013 [61]a | 275 Puerto Rican college students (68%) | Perceived academic stress1 | Dietary patterns, snack consumption (self-reports) | MIXED. Academic stress → chocolate intake; ≠ all other dietary patterns, snack foods |
| Isasi et al., 2015 [56]a | 5,077 Adults (62%) | Perceived stress (PSS) | Energy intake; calories from saturated fat; healthy eating (24-hr recalls) | POSITIVE. Stress → calories, saturated fat, less healthy eating |
| Laugero et al., 2011 [57]a | 1,336 Puerto Rican middle aged and older adults (70%) | Perceived stress (PSS) | Dietary intake (self-report) | POSITIVE. Stress → less protein, fruit, vegetables, fiber, omega-3s, and more carb/salty snacks, sweets, high glycemic index foods |
| Lopez-Cepero et al., 2019 [59]a | 580 Adults (51%) | Perceived stress (PSS) | EE (self-report) | POSITIVE. Stress → EE |
| Singh et al., 2017 [60]a | 108 Pregnant adolescents (100%) | Perceived stress (PSS); level of concern over pregnancy-related stressors (PDQ) | Dietary intake of macronutrients and micronutrients (24-hr recall) | MIXED. Stress more → vitamin E; ≠ macronutrient intake, intake of other micronutrients. Pregnancy-related stress → less vitamins B6, C; ≠ macronutrient intake, intake of other micronutrients |
| Villegas et al., 2019 [58]a | 137 Adult Mexican-American immigrant mothers (100%) | Perceived stress (PSS) | Healthy eating (self-report) | POSITIVE. Stress → less healthy eating |
| Occurrence of stressful events | ||||
| Cardel et al., 2016 [62]b | 9 Young adults (67%) | Experimentally manipulated social status2 | Ad-libitum eating (observed) | MIXED. Low social status manipulation → food intake (marginal) |
| Isasi et al., 2015 [56]a | 5,077 Adults (62%) | Number of chronic stressors3 | Energy intake; calories from saturated fat; healthy eating (24-hr recalls) | MIXED. Chronic stressors → calories; ≠ saturated fats, healthy eating |
| Combined: Occurrence and perceived stressfulness of events | ||||
| Simmons & Limbers, 2019 [63]a | 168 Young adolescent middle schoolers (74%) | Occurrence and perceptions of general stressors; combined general and acculturative stress (SAFE-C) | EE (total, anxiety/anger/frustration, depressed, and unsettled, self-report) | MIXED. General stress, combined stress → EE (total, anxiety/anger/frustration, depressed); ≠ EE (unsettled) |
| Discrimination-related stress | ||||
| Simmons & Limbers, 2019 [63]a | 168 Young adolescent middle schoolers (74%) | Occurrence and perceptions of acculturative stress (overall; process and discrimination subdomains; SAFE-C) | EE (total, anxiety/anger/frustration, depressed, and unsettled, self-report) | MIXED. Overall acculturative stress, process → EE (total, anxiety/anger/frustration, depressed); ≠ EE (unsettled); discrimination stress ≠ EE (all domains) |
Note: EE = emotional eating; POSITIVE = association between stress and eating; NS= no association between stress and eating; MIXED = mixed support for associations between stress and eating; ≠ = not significantly associated with; → = associated with; marginal = p-value .05–.10.
Cross-sectional self-report methodology.
Experimental, observational methodology, using randomized, cross-over design to expose participants to both “high social status” and “low social status” conditions, and ad libitum food consumption from buffet meal direction observed.
Stress Measures: PSS = Perceived Stress Scale; SAFE-C = Social, Attitudinal, Familial, and Environmental Acculturative Stress Scale for Children (includes two sub-scales: Process Stress, e.g. “People think I am shy, when really I just have trouble speaking English,” and Discrimination Stress, e.g. “I feel bad when others make jokes about people who are in the same group as me,”); PDQ = Pregnancy Distress Questionnaire.
Unnamed, 27-item measure of perceived academic stress.
Unnamed, participants play a game of monopoly after being assigned to a high social status game piece (Rolls Royce) or low social status game piece (shoe); monopoly opponent was assigned opposite social status.
Unnamed, eight items assessing whether chronic stressors in multiple life domains have been present for at least 6 months.