School stress : risk factor for obesity

Abstract EN

Stress is a well-known factor that increases the risk of developing physical and mental health problems in children and adolescents.

Numerous epidemiological studies have shown a link between stress and weight gain.

Conscious of this close link between obesity and stress on the one hand, and particularly worrying consequences for the child that can cause long-term obesity on the other, the present study has the general objective of evaluate the level of school stress among a student population and establish the link with the different forms of obesity observed among this population.

The study is of the descriptive and cross-sectional type, and involved a representative sample estimated at 2355 students.

The results show that one in three students suffers from high school stress, 16.

8% of overweight students (obesity not included), 7.

7% of obese students and 20.

8% of those with abdominal obesity.

In addition, the study reveals a statistically significant difference between the two forms of obesity (general and abdominal) and students with a high level of stress, respectively p <0.

05 and p <0.

01.