Skip to content
2000
Volume 3, Issue 1
  • ISSN: 2772-316X
  • E-ISSN: 2772-3178

Abstract

Introduction

Work-related stress is a condition caused by job demands that exceed the individual's ability to cope with them. Its effects can be serious for health and overall well-being, affecting, among other things, eating behaviors and the development of eating disorders.

Objectives

To investigate the impact of work-related stress, anxiety and depression on employees' food choices and behavioral responses to food.

Methods

A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted on a sample of public and private sector employees who completed a questionnaire on food attitudes and psychological distress. Food attitudes were assessed with the EAT-26 scale, while depression, anxiety and stress were assessed with the DASS-21 scale.

Results and Discussion

The questionnaire was completed by 52 employees with a mean age of 39.7 ± 14.0, 75.0% of whom were women, with a mean total employment duration of 14.1 ± 10.2 years. Overall, 5.8% of participants reported very severe depression, 1.9% reported very severe anxiety, and 15.4% reported very severe stress.Moreover, 75.0% of employees were within the normal range of scores on the EAT-26 scale, while 25.0% had evidence of a possible eating disorder. Contrary to expectations, the total score of the DASS-21 was not correlated with the EAT-26 score ( = .930), while no statistically significant correlations were recorded between the dimensions of the two questionnaires.

Conclusion

The small sample size is a major limitation of the study that probably affected the finding of statistically significant correlations between the main research variables. Future research can focus on more representative samples in the Greek working population, examining in more detail the relationship between eating disorders and work-related stress.

© 2025 Bentham Science Publishers
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/css/10.2174/012772316X378482250415053052
2025-04-22
2026-02-11

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/css/10.2174/012772316X378482250415053052
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. CharmandariE. TsigosC. ChrousosG. Endocrinology of the stress response.Annu. Rev. Physiol.200567125928410.1146/annurev.physiol.67.040403.12081615709959
     [Google Scholar]
  2. WardleJ. SteptoeA. OliverG. LipseyZ. Stress, dietary restraint and food intake.J. Psychosom. Res.200048219520210.1016/S0022‑3999(00)00076‑3
     [Google Scholar]
  3. KraussS. DappL.C. OrthU. The link between low self-esteem and eating disorders: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.Clin. Psychol. Sci.20231161141115810.1177/21677026221144255
     [Google Scholar]
  4. BallK. LeeC. Relationships between psychological stress, coping and disordered eating: A review.Psychol. Health20001461007103510.1080/0887044000840736422175259
     [Google Scholar]
  5. SassaroliS. FioreF. MezzalunaC. RuggieroG.M. Stressful task increases drive for thinness and bulimia: A laboratory study.Front. Psychol.2015659110.3389/fpsyg.2015.0059125999901
     [Google Scholar]
  6. SiegelJ.A. SawyerK.B. Eating disorders in the workplace: A qualitative investigation of women’s experiences.Psychol. Women Q.2019431375810.1177/0361684318812475
     [Google Scholar]
  7. SmithK.E. MasonT.B. SchaeferL.M. AndersonL.M. CritchleyK. CrosbyR.D. EngelS.G. CrowS.J. WonderlichS.A. PetersonC.B. Dynamic stress responses and real-time symptoms in binge-eating disorder.Ann. Behav. Med.202155875876810.1093/abm/kaaa06132856687
     [Google Scholar]
  8. SolmiM. RaduaJ. StubbsB. RiccaV. MorettiD. BusattaD. CarvalhoA.F. DragiotiE. FavaroA. MonteleoneA.M. ShinJ.I. Fusar-PoliP. CastelliniG. Risk factors for eating disorders: An umbrella review of published meta-analyses.Br. J. Psychiatry202143331432310.1590/1516‑4446‑2020‑109932997075
     [Google Scholar]
  9. BergeJ.M. LothK. HansonC. Croll-LampertJ. Neumark-SztainerD. Family life cycle transitions and the onset of eating disorders: A retrospective grounded theory approach.J. Clin. Nurs.2012219-101355136310.1111/j.1365‑2702.2011.03762.x21749510
     [Google Scholar]
  10. SanderJ. MoessnerM. BauerS. Depression, anxiety and eating disorder-related impairment: Moderators in female adolescents and young adults.Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2021185277910.3390/ijerph1805277933803367
     [Google Scholar]
  11. GarciaS.C. MikhailM.E. KeelP.K. BurtS.A. NealeM.C. BokerS. KlumpK.L. Increased rates of eating disorders and their symptoms in women with major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders.Int. J. Eat. Disord.202053111844185410.1002/eat.2336632844425
     [Google Scholar]
  12. LovibondP.F. LovibondS.H. Depression anxiety stress scales.Behav. Res. Ther.199533333534310.1016/0005‑7967(94)00075‑U7726811
     [Google Scholar]
  13. LyrakosG.N. ArvanitiC. SmyrniotiM. KostopanagiotouG. Translation and validation study of the depression anxiety stress scale in the greek general population and in a psychiatric patient’s sample.Eur. Psychiatry201126S2173110.1016/S0924‑9338(11)73435‑6
     [Google Scholar]
  14. MoyaE. LarsonL.M. StewartR.C. FisherJ. MwangiM.N. PhiriK.S. Reliability and validity of depression anxiety stress scale (DASS)-21 in screening for common mental disorders among postpartum women in Malawi.BMC Psychiatry202222135210.1186/s12888‑022‑03994‑035606733
     [Google Scholar]
  15. OsmanA. WongJ.L. BaggeC.L. FreedenthalS. GutierrezP.M. LozanoG. The depression anxiety stress scales-21 (DASS-21): Further examination of dimensions, scale reliability, and correlates.J. Clin. Psychol.201268121322133810.1002/jclp.2190822930477
     [Google Scholar]
  16. GarnerD.M. OlmstedM.P. BohrY. GarfinkelP.E. The eating attitudes test: Psychometric features and clinical correlates.Psychol. Med.198212487187810.1017/S00332917000491636961471
     [Google Scholar]
  17. BanasiakS.J. WertheimE.H. KoernerJ. VoudourisN.J. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency of a variety of measures of dietary restraint and body concerns in a sample of adolescent girls.Int. J. Eat. Disord.2001291858910.1002/1098‑108X(200101)29:1<85:AID‑EAT14>3.0.CO;2‑G11135339
     [Google Scholar]
  18. AlexopoulosE.C. PalatsidiV. TiganiX. DarviriC. Exploring stress levels, job satisfaction, and quality of life in a sample of police officers in Greece.Saf. Health Work20145421021510.1016/j.shaw.2014.07.00425516814
     [Google Scholar]
  19. SarafisP. ChatzigianniD. TsounisA. MarkopoulosN. Occupational stress experienced by nurses working in a Greek regional hospital: A cross-sectional study.Iran. J. Nurs. Midwifery Res.201823645045710.4103/ijnmr.IJNMR_120_1730386395
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Fotinatos-VentouratosR. The causes and consequences of organizational stress: The case of Greece.Organizational Stress Around the. World.Routledge2021627910.4324/9780429292538‑5
     [Google Scholar]
  21. PapiniN.M. JungM. CookA. LopezN.V. PtomeyL.T. HerrmannS.D. KangM. Psychometric properties of the 26-item eating attitudes test (EAT-26): An application of rasch analysis.J. Eat. Disord.20221016210.1186/s40337‑022‑00580‑335509106
     [Google Scholar]
  22. KatsilasV. VlachogianniE.E. Investigating nutritional disorders in Greece: Prevalence and awareness. Eating - Pathology and. Causes; Jáuregui-Lobera, I.; Martínez-Quiñones, J.V.Intech Open202310.5772/intechopen.1002631
     [Google Scholar]
  23. GalmicheM. DéchelotteP. LambertG. TavolacciM.P. Prevalence of eating disorders over the 2000–2018 period: A systematic literature review.Am. J. Clin. Nutr.201910951402141310.1093/ajcn/nqy34231051507
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Kumara SwamyP.D. Investigating the correlation between eating disorders and perceived stress among working professionals in coimbatore: An empirical study.Afr. J. Biomed. Res.2024273S33793388
     [Google Scholar]
  25. NganS.W. ChernB.C.K. RajarathnamD.D. BalanJ. HongT.S. TiangK.P. The relationship between eating disorders and stress among medical undergraduate: A cross-sectional study.Open J. Epidemiol.201772859510.4236/ojepi.2017.72008
     [Google Scholar]
  26. HillD. ConnerM. ClancyF. MossR. WildingS. BristowM. O’ConnorD.B. Stress and eating behaviours in healthy adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Health Psychol. Rev.202216228030410.1080/17437199.2021.192340633913377
     [Google Scholar]
  27. DonofryS.D. RoeckleinK.A. WildesJ.E. MillerM.A. EricksonK.I. Alterations in emotion generation and regulation neurocircuitry in depression and eating disorders: A comparative review of structural and functional neuroimaging studies.Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev.20166891192710.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.07.01127422451
     [Google Scholar]
  28. ErskineJ. GeorgiouG. Stress and resilience in the workplace.In:The. Palgrave Handbook of. Occupational Stress. Fauquet-AlekhineP. ErskineJ. ChamPalgrave Macmillan202345548310.1007/978‑3‑031‑27349‑0_22
     [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/css/10.2174/012772316X378482250415053052
Loading
Stress, Work-Related Stress and Eating Disorders
Curr. Social Sci. 3, E2772316X378482 (2025); https://doi.org/10.2174/012772316X378482250415053052
/content/journals/css/10.2174/012772316X378482250415053052
/content/journals/css/10.2174/012772316X378482250415053052
Loading

Data & Media loading...


  • Article Type:     Research Article
Keyword(s): anxiety; bulimia nervosa; depression; eating disorders; nutritional behavior; Work-related stress
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test