The Influence of Cognitive Dietary Restraint and Body Shape Satisfaction on Stress among Nursing Students

This study aimed to examine the relationships among body shape satisfaction, cognitive dietary restraint, and stress in nursing students, as well as to identify the factors influencing their stress.The goal was to provide foundational data for promoting a healthy body image and lifestyle habits among nursing students.Two hundred nursing students from a university in a metropolitan area participated in the study.Data were collected through a structured, self-administered online questionnaire.The collected data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis.The results revealed a significant negative correlation between cognitive dietary restraint and body shape satisfaction (r=-0.616,p<.001) and a significant positive correlation between cognitive dietary restraint and stress (r=0.210,p<.001).Multiple regression analysis identified cognitive dietary restraint, body shape satisfaction, satisfaction with one's major, and interpersonal relationships as significant predictors of stress.Among these, cognitive dietary restraint was the most influential factor.The model accounted for 31.1% of the variance in stress (F= 37.436, p<.001), indicating statistical significance.These findings suggest that stress management in nursing students may benefit from interventions such as body image enhancement programs, education on healthy eating behaviors, emotional support initiatives, and counseling services.Further studies involving participants from diverse regions are recommended to improve the generalizability of the findings.