Stress and dietary quality in black adolescents in a metropolitan area

Adolescents from families with low socio‐economic status (SES) experience more stress and have poorer diets than adolescents from families with high SES. This study investigated whether change in dietary quality among urban, black adolescents related to changes in the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Daily Hassles Microsystem Scale (DHMS) while controlling for household income. At two times 1 month apart, 25 adolescents completed a modified Adolescent Food Habits Checklist (AFHC), the PSS and the DHMS. Change scores from time 1 to time 2 for each measure were computed. AFHC change and PSS change had a significant, negative correlation (r = ?0.458, p < 0.05), even when controlling for income (r = ?0.585, p < 0.05). For girls, AFHC change and PSS change had a significant, negative correlation (r = ?0.599, p < 0.05), even when controlling for income (r = ?0.697, p < 0.05). No significant correlation was observed for boys (r = 0.003, p = 0.993), and when controlling for income (r = ?0.346, p = 0.448). The correlation between AFHC change and DHMS change was not significant. Black adolescent girls, but not boys, tended to make more unhealthy dietary choices when under increased stress. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.