Stress, spirit and shape

Background: Adolescence is a critical period when stress may affect nutritional status and body composition. Spirituality, defined as meaningful connections with oneself, others, nature, and something beyond the self that promote purpose, joy, and inner peace, may support coping with stress and healthier lifestyles. However, its relationship with stress and nutritional status remains unclear. Objective: To examine the associations of perceived stress and spiritual health with anthropometric indicators (BMI and body fat percentage) among adolescents, while assessing the influence of sex, age, and socioeconomic status on these relationships. Subjects and methods: This cross-sectional study included 500 adolescents from Zagreb, Croatia. Perceived stress, spiritual health, and nutritional status/body composition were assessed using the PSS-10, Spiritual Health Scale, anthropometry, and bioelectrical impedance analysis. Results: Adolescents reported moderate perceived stress levels (mean=17.16, SD=6.08). BMI categories were: underweight (7.3%), normal weight (78.6%), overweight (11.7%), and obesity (2.4%); median body fat percentage was 19.72%. Girls showed higher stress than boys (19.66±5.63 vs. 14.58±5.44, p

Anthropometry · Bioelectrical impedance analysis · Body Fat Percentage · Body mass index · Coping (psychology) · Obesity · Overweight · Socioeconomic status · Underweight