Background: The objective of this study was investigate the relationship between stress relief methods and metabolic syndrome
in Korean adults.
Methods: This cross-sectional study included a total of 3,523 individuals who participated in the third Korea National Health
and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2010-2012. The participants were divided into 11 groups by stress relief method as follows:
‘do not anything (n=586)’, ‘cigarette smoking (n=380)’, ‘alcohol drinking (n=735)’, ‘exercise (n=720)’, ‘conversation (n=455)’,
‘entertainment (n=90)’, ‘cultural life (n=189)’, ‘religious activity (n=121)’, ‘do something (n=83)’, ‘sleeping (161)’ and ‘eating
habits (43)’. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for metabolic syndrome were calculated using multiple
logistic regression analysis after adjusting for confounding factors according to stress relief methods.
Results: Compared with the group ‘do not anything’, the ORs (95% CIs) for metabolic syndrome were 1.916 (1.188-3.090)
for ‘cigarette smoking’, 2.142 (1.395-3.288) for ‘alcohol drinking’, and 4.112 (1.805-9.369) ‘sleeping’ according to stress
relief method after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, household income, education, and marriage status.
Conclusion: Among stress relief methods, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, and sleeping were independently associated
with metabolic syndrome in Korean adults.