This study investigated emotional stress, dietary attitude, and nutrient intake according to
Body Mass Index and the sex of middle school students in Daegu, Kyungpook; and the
relationship of emotional stress and depression to dietary attitude and nutrient intake. This
study was conducted from July 6 to 17 in 2009 using a questionnaire taken by 590 students in
a middle school in Daegu, Kyungpook,. Statistical data analyses were completed using the SPSS
14.0 program.
The results of this study were as follows; 1) stress levels were higher in girls than in boys;
2) depression scores were lowest in the normal group (10.32±8.26) and highest in the obese
group (12.02±9.92); and 3) dietary attitude scores were higher in boys than in girls. In addition,
according to BMI, the normal weight group had the highest dietary attitude score (p<0.05). In
examining the interrelationship of each factor, there is a relation between BMI and depression,
between stress and dietary attitude, between depression and dietary attitude, and between
dietary attitude and nutrient intake (p<0.05).