Effect of academic stressors on eating habits among medical students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

CONTEXT: Stress can be defined as an integral response of the organism to pressures from the internal or external environment with the aim to maintain homeostasis. Usually, it has a negative impact on human health. Medical students can feel stress during their preclinical studies due to overload of work such as assignments, lectures, and seminars. As a result, their appetite can be affected by skipping meals eating fast food. AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess the pattern of eating habits and to define its association with stress among medical students. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This cross-sectional study was conducted among the medical students of Al-Imam Muhammed Ibn Saud Islamic University. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The sample consist of 105 Arabian males (100%) with 21-year old being the average. We use questionnaires divided into three sections. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: SPSS. RESULTS: We have confirmed three hypotheses: freshman would have Higher Stress Levels than sophomores and junior, the spread of fast food restaurants increases the chance for students to eat Unhealthy Foods, and the students Who Have High Stress Levels Would Eat More Unhealthy Foods Than Students Who Have Low Stress Levels. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings have revealed the importance to develop a specific intervention program with the aim to decrease the stress in medical students. We suggest also the development of accurate university programs with resources well programmed and well established, development of the educational program with the aim to promote healthy eating habits in medical students, the longitudinal courses should be converted to Blocks to decrease the Academic stress on students.