Chronic Stress and Its Association with Elevated Blood Pressure and Lifestyle Habits among Medical Students.

Authors

Janak Suthar, Kajal Mitra, Melishia Lancy Sequeira

Published in

Annals of African medicine. Sep 25, 2026. Epub Sep 25, 2026.

Abstract

Hypertension is increasingly reported among young adults, particularly medical students exposed to chronic academic stress and unhealthy lifestyle habits, which may increase long-term cardiovascular risk.
The aim is to assess the association between perceived stress, lifestyle factors, and blood pressure among undergraduate medical students aged 18-26 years.
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 medical students in Central India. Stress levels were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale-10, and lifestyle habits were evaluated using a Food Frequency Questionnaire and structured assessment. Blood pressure was measured using a mercury sphygmomanometer in accordance with standard guidelines. Statistical analysis was performed using OpenEpi, with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals calculated.
The mean age was 21.9 ± 1.8 years. Elevated blood pressure was observed in 32.4% of students. High stress was strongly associated with elevated blood pressure (OR = 3.95). Additional predictors included low physical activity, smoking, short sleep duration, male gender, and unhealthy dietary habits.
Stress and adverse lifestyle behaviors are significantly associated with elevated blood pressure among medical students. Early interventions targeting stress management and healthy living are essential.

PMID:
42798156
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 26 Sep 2026.

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