Smartphone Ecological Momentary Assessment

Stress is a nationwide public health concern that is affecting health of many people. Everyone has experienced stress in one way or another. There is a trend between stress and the consumption of high-calorie and high-fat foods. 38% of adults say they have overeaten or eaten unhealthy foods in the past month because of stress. In fact, when the body is stressed, fat is stored more compared to less when the body is relaxed. America is already known for its high obesity rates and now known for being stressed in America. Daily stress and the disruption of sleep is likely leading to changes in salivary amylase and potentially impacting eating patterns or digestion of food. Ultimately, such changes may lead to risk for overweight/obesity, cardiometabolic risk, or changes in blood glucose. In this thesis; stress, food intake, exercise, and sleep will being monitored via surveys through smartphone ecological momentary assessment. The goal is to see whether utilizing smartphones is solution to monitoring stress levels and if we can improve stress by raising awareness to people in need.