The Effect of Test Anxiety on Nutritional Habits, Anthropometric Measurements, and Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Adolescents

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Objective: Since exam periods are used as a benchmark to determine academic achievement, they may result in increased anxiety, changes in dietary behavior, weight fluctuations and increased gastrointestinal symptoms in students. For this reason, this research was conducted to evaluate the effect of test anxiety on nutritional status and gastrointestinal symptoms in adolescents. Methods: This study was conducted with 104 senior high school students who agreed to participate in the study in a private and public school in Ankara 7 months before the exam and 1 month before the exam to evaluate the effect of exam anxiety on nutritional status and gastrointestinal symptoms of students preparing for the university exam. Health status, nutritional status, anthropometric measurements, information about exam anxiety, International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form, Test Anxiety Inventory, Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale, Food Frequency Questionnarie (FFQ) were asked to the students. Results: In both genders, the mean BMI-Z score increased during the second evaluation, indicating a significant difference in various dietary and lifestyle factors such as meal frequency, water intake, and nutrient intake. Most students were classified as minimally active. Additionally, the total score of affective, delusional, and test anxiety inventory increased closer to the exam date. Weak positive correlations were observed between gastrointestinal symptoms and affective, delusional, and test anxiety scores during the first evaluation, while a moderately strong positive correlation emerged during the second evaluation. Conclusion: The results of the current study support that students experience increased gastrointestinal symptoms during the exam period. Nutrition and stress reduction educations should be given in high schools both during and before the exam period in a multidisciplinary team consisted of dietitians and psychologists in order to provide healthy stress management.