Abstract:
The objective of this study is to find out whether perceived stress, sleep quality and emotional eating are related in university students and to determine the effects of perceived stress and sleep quality on emotional eating in university students. The information was gathered from 216 university students in Islamabad. The approach of convenience sampling was adopted. To assess the study variables, three instruments were used: the perceived stress scale (PSS), which is designed to assess individual stress level, the Pittsburg sleep quality index (PSQI), which is used to assess sleep quality disturbances, and the Salzburg emotional eating scale (SEES), which is used to assess emotional eating by distinguishing between various emotional and lower or higher food consumption in response to the emotions. The variables findings demonstrated substantial positive correlation between perceived stress, sleep quality and emotional eating. PSS had significant positive correlation with PSQI while there was no significant relationship with any other scale and subscale. Similarly, PSQI had only significant positive correlation with emotional eating subscale of anger and anxiety. In addition to sadness which is subscale of SEES had positive correlation with anger and anxiety subscale. At last anger, the subscale of SEES also had significant positive correlation with anxiety. Significant gender difference was found on perceived stress where females had somewhat higher mean perceived stress score than male group. This knowledge can assist individual in being more aware of their eating patterns as well as developing ways to manage stress and improve sleep quality. Healthcare professionals can use this information to develop interventions that target stress and sleep quality
