Health related behaviours and stress Katherine Chaplin

What is meant by Health- related behaviours? 4 key behavioural areas which have been identified Alcohol consumption Levels of consumption, under-age, pregnancy Smoking behaviour Non specific, pregnancy, around children Physical activity Levels of exercise, frequency of exercise Food choice Consider both health and unhealthy behaviours

Health-related behaviours and work stress Mildly energetic exercise at least 3 times a week Low stress High stress 62% 52% <7 hours sleep on an average week night Low stress High stress 33% 46% SmokersLow stress High stress 27% 33% Drink alcohol 4 weekdaysLow stress High stress 15% 21% Never eat breakfast cerealLow stress High stress 19% 26%

Breakfast and mental health

Study details Demographics: Conducted with the Royal College of Nursing N = % female Mean age 44 years ranging from 22 to 67 Measures used: Breakfast consumption measured on a 5 point scale from never to everyday Unhealthy snack consumption based on the amount of chocolate, crisps and cakes eaten per week Levels of work stress measured on a 5 point scale from not at all to extremely Mean depression scores based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale Number of minor injuries measured on a 5 point scale from not at all to very frequently

Breakfast, snacking and work stress Daily breakfast consumption associated with lower levels of work stress Frequent unhealthy snacking associated with higher levels of work stress

Breakfast, snacking and depression Daily breakfast consumption associated with lower depression Frequent unhealthy snacking associated with increased depression

Breakfast, snacking and minor injuries Daily breakfast consumption associated with fewer minor injuries at work Frequent unhealthy snacking associated with more minor injuries at work

Conclusions Determining causality For example, does breakfast decrease work stress or does work stress influence breakfast consumption How can we address this? dose response change over time interventions Have these measures been used previously? All of these measures have been used for stress and mental health outcomes in general Intervention studies are now required to examine occupational measures What should future studies look at? Are changes in health-related behaviours early indicators of the impact of stress or does stress reflect health-related behaviours? If the latter is true then changing these health-related behaviours could reduce stress