A Study of the Relationship between Food Group Recommendations and Perceived Stress: Findings from Black Women in the Deep South

Abstract

Black women in the Deep South experience excess morbidity/mortality from obesity-related diseases, which may be partially attributable to poor diet. One reason for poor dietary intake may be high stress, which has been associated with unhealthy diets in other groups. Limited data are available regarding dietary patterns of black women in the Deep South and to our knowledge no studies have been published exploring relationships between stress and dietary patterns among this group. This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between stress and adherence to food group recommendations among black women in the Deep South. Participants (n = 355) provided demographic, anthropometric, stress (PSS-10), and dietary (NCI ASA-24 hour recall) data. Participants were obese (BMI = 36.5 kg/m2) and reported moderate stress (PSS-10 score = 16) and minimal adherence to Dietary Guidelines for Americans food group recommendations (1/3 did not meet recommendations for any food group). Participants reporting higher stress had higher BMIs than those reporting lower stress. There was no observed relationship between stress and dietary intake in this sample. Based on these study findings, which are limited by potential misreporting of dietary intake and limited variability in stress measure outcomes, there is insufficient evidence to support a relationship between stress and dietary intake.

Understanding and effectively addressing disparities in obesity: A systematic review of the psychological determinants of emotional eating behaviours among Black women

“…However, in this review, we assessed each study on its own, based on the details that were reported. With this factored in, nine studies received quality ratings of good, five received ratings of fair, and one received a rating of poor . Studies overall performed well on the following criteria: (a) clearly stating the study objective; (b) defining the study population and participation rate; (c) delineating the inclusion and exclusion criteria while uniformly applying them to all participants; (d) clearly defining the exposure variable and outcome variables, which were often measured by valid and reliable scales; and (e) describing the statistical analysis.…”

Nut Intake among Overweight and Obese African-American Women in the Rural South

“…Failure to meet food group recommendations is common in lower income rural Southern communities where food insecurity is widespread. 7,32 Thus, although a food item like nuts may be part of Southern cuisine, scarcity of economic resources may prevent residents from consuming quantities necessary to see health benefits.…”

“…The use of 2 recalls has been considered ideal for assessing diet in this population. 7 In addition, ASA24 attempts to capture all foods eaten over the recall period by using the Automated Multi-pass Method, which probes participants for foods that are commonly forgotten like candy or snacks. 25 …”

“…7 Participants in the pilot study suggested that our target audience would be willing to participate in one recall, and maybe 2. They doubted our target audience’s willingness to provide more than 2 recalls, as this would be viewed as too personal.…”

“…4 Adherence to a Southern-style diet, characterized by a high intake of sweetened beverages and fried/processed foods, may put African-Americans in the rural South at greater risk for obesity and its related diseases. 5–7 …”