Abstract
Objective: To investigate the combination of stress coping style and differences in stress responses, especially in regard to overeating at dinner and Body Mass Index (BMI), to examine the possibility of restraining overeating by stress coping.
Methods: In December 2012, 390 Japanese workers completed an Internet-based questionnaire on their characteristics, stress coping, and stress response (psychological, physical, and feeling of satiety scale as a behavioral response). Cluster analysis of the stress coping scale by sex was conducted, and relationships between stress response and BMI were examined using two-way analysis of variance and χ2 tests.
Results: Four stress coping style categories emerged among men (n = 225), “emotion oriented,” “none implemented,” “changing mood not implemented,” and “multiple implemented.” The overeating score was higher in the “emotion oriented” group than the “multiple implemented” group. The psychological response score was higher in the “emotion oriented” group than the “multiple implemented” and “changing mood not implemented” groups. The categories among women (n = 135) were “emotion oriented,” “not implemented,” “multiple implemented,” and “engaged problem and emotional oriented coping.” The overeating score was higher in the “emotion oriented” group than the “not implemented” group and the psychological response score was higher in the “emotional oriented” group than the other groups. There were no differences in BMI among groups.
Conclusion: The overeating score at dinner was higher in the “emotion oriented” group than the “multiple implemented” group in men and in the “not implemented” group in women.
