Stress and Eating Behaviour

Stress is one of a factor which may influence behaviors and health especially when an individual faces challenges that surpass his or her coping skills [3]. Stress can be defined as “the generalized, non-specific response of the body to any factor that overwhelms, or threatens to overwhelm, the body’s compensatory abilities to maintain homeostasis [4]. Psychological stress, a perceived challenge to well being, is an indispensable and influential part of life. Although stress-causing factors vary greatly from person to person and between the genders, physiological reactions of the human body against stress are quite similar to each other. Physiological reactions such as high level blood pressure, ulcer, migraine, perspiration and fast-breathing cause psychological changes such as recession, anxiety, worry, accepting and depression as well. Learning how to manage stress may provide ability for an individual to give appropriate and sufficient reactions against prolonged and extreme stress.