Stress and Food Consumption Relationship in Hypertensive Patients

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Nutrition Science
• Psychology

Background:

• Stress significantly impacts physiological and psychological states.
• In hypertension, stress can affect blood pressure, dietary choices, and adherence to diets.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between stress and dietary intake in patients with hypertension.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 100 hypertensive adults (≥18 years).
• Data collected included blood pressure, food consumption, anthropometrics, and stress levels using the Lipp's Stress Symptoms Inventory (LSSI).

Main Results:

• 86% of participants showed signs of stress, with 57% in the resistance phase.
• No correlation was found between stress presence/actions, blood pressure, and overall food consumption.
• A significant association was observed between high-lipid food consumption and psychological stress symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Patients with psychological stress symptoms tend to prefer high-fat diets.
• Further research on stress, dietary patterns, and blood pressure is crucial for cardiovascular disease management strategies.