Relationship Between Stress, Lifestyle, and Unhealthy Eating Behaviours: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Vaseem Ahmad, Nayera Masoodi — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to integrate 20 years of empirical studies (2004–2024) of the relationship between psychological stress and unhealthy eating behaviours. Upon review of the literature, 28 studies (N = 10,207) with correlation coefficients reporting the relationship between stress and unhealthy eating indicators were identified in PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Scopus databases. The results of the random effects meta-analysis showed a positive and significant association (r = .286, 95% CI [.258, .314], p < .001), suggesting that unhealthy eating is moderately related to increased stress. Heterogeneity was moderate (I2 = 58.9%, Q = 65.64, df = 27). Subgroup analyses showed greater effects in longitudinal studies (r = .350) than in cross-sectional (r = .261) and experimental design studies (r = .270). This association was slightly more positive with changes over the 20-year period. The detection of publication bias using Egger's regression test showed an intercept of −0.120 (p < .001), which indicated that the pooled effect could be slightly downwards. Trim-and-fill analysis showed no evidence of publication bias. The results highlight the strong association of stress and unhealthy diets and the relevance of public health strategies aiming to improve nutritional health promotion by including stress management.

Reversible Arthritis in Adult Patients: Pathophysiology, Therapeutic Approaches, and Prognostic Factors

Rehan Haider, Zameer Ahmed, Shabana Naz Shah, Geetha Kumari Das, Sambreen Zameer — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Reversible arthritis describes inflammatory joint conditions in which pain, swelling, stiffness, and functional impairment may substantially improve when the underlying inflammatory process is recognized and treated at an early stage. Unlike established chronic arthropathies associated with progressive structural damage, some acute inflammatory joint conditions may resolve without permanent functional impairment when appropriate treatment is initiated promptly. The present prospective clinical observational study evaluated the clinical presentation, selected biochemical markers, treatment response, and short-term outcomes among 50 adult female patients with clinical features consistent with reversible inflammatory arthritis. The mean age of the participants was approximately 50 years. Patients presented primarily with joint pain, inflammation, and functional limitation. Daily pain scores were recorded using a 1–10 scale, while C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum uric acid were assessed as laboratory indicators relevant to inflammatory and gout-associated processes. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were used as the principal therapeutic intervention. The findings showed a marked reduction in pain following treatment. The mean baseline pain score was 8.2 ± 1.1 and declined to 3.4 ± 1.0 after treatment, representing a statistically significant improvement (p < 0.001). Forty-five patients (90%) were classified as clinically improved, whereas five patients (10%) did not demonstrate comparable improvement. The clinical response was particularly consistent with acute inflammatory presentations such as early gout-related arthritis and reactive or post-infectious inflammatory arthritis. These observations suggest that early recognition, appropriate laboratory assessment, and timely anti-inflammatory management may provide an important opportunity to prevent persistent symptoms and functional deterioration. However, the findings should be interpreted within the limitations of the observational design, relatively small sample size, female-only population, and short-term assessment. Further studies involving larger and more diverse patient populations are required to determine long-term remission, recurrence, and structural outcomes.

International Journal of Clinical Pharmaceutics and Public Health

Relationship Between Stress, Lifestyle, and Unhealthy Eating Behaviours: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Reversible Arthritis in Adult Patients: Pathophysiology, Therapeutic Approaches, and Prognostic Factors