Association of body fat with stress levels and dietary intakes in Indian women

A cross-sectional study of 605 women (aged 18-50years) conducted from January 2013 to June 2014 in Gujarat, India assessed stress, dietary intakes and body fat percentage (PBF), and the inter-relationship of PBF with stress, dietary fat, and carbohydrates. The population was categorized according to PBF cutoffs for Asians. A generalized linear regression model adjusted for age was performed to assess the relationship of stress, fat, and carbohydrate intakes with PBF. PBF had a significant positive association with stress level (p=.02) and carbohydrate intake (p=.008); fat intake was not significantly associated (p=.8). Women with moderate PBF consumed significantly less carbohydrates (mean=152.3 +/- 13.3gm/1000kcal/day, p<.05) and had lower stress scores (mean=9.7 +/- 4.2, p<.05) than women with high PBF (mean carbohydrate intake=156.2 +/- 10.8gm/1000kcal/day; mean stress score=10.9 +/- 4.4) and very high PBF (mean carbohydrate intake=156.8 +/- 11.6gm/1000kcal/day; mean stress score=11.2 +/- 4.2). We conclude that PBF has a positive association with stress and dietary carbohydrate; women with higher stress and carbohydrate intake are more likely to accumulate higher body fat as compared to women with less stress and low carbohydrate intake.