Comparison of University Students' Perceived Stress Levels in terms of Body-Mass Index Categories and Gender

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to compare the perceived stress level of university students in terms of body-mass index categories and gender. 235 university students (183 female, 53 male) between the ages of 18-40 participated in the study. Participants were selected from six different departments of six universities by convenient sampling. In the study, a personal information form asking about university, department, age, disease status, drug use, weight, height and gender, and a perceived stress scale were used as data collection tools. While body mass index (BMI) categories and gender were determined as independent variables in the study, perceived stress level was determined as dependent variable and the data were analysed with a one-way ANOVA test. The findings revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in the perceived stress levels of the participants in terms of gender and body mass index categories. However, for one factor of the stress scale (readiness to cope with stress), participants in the normal body mass index range reported significantly less stress than participants in the obese body mass index range. The findings will be discussed in the light of the literature.