Adolescent obesity rates are rising higher than ever before; many connections have been drawn in previous literature between stress and obesity. In the present study, we investigated physical activity as a buffer in the relationship between stress and obesity. 253 adolescents experiencing rural poverty answered surveys and had a home visit to collect objective and subjective measures of stress, waist circumference (adiposity), and 7 days of physical activity using an activity monitor. Multiple-group, multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine relationships between the perceived stress scale (PSS), respiratory sinus arrythmia (RSA), waist circumference, physical activity, and demographic information. Results suggest that even 27 minutes (or more) of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day may act as a buffer between objective (RSA) and subjective (PSS) stress and adiposity. Additionally, the association between stress and adiposity varied by race; the association was significant only white adolescents and female adolescents. These results suggest that physical activity moderates the relationship between stress and obesity, and that there are differences in the effect of stress and waist circumference by race and sex. Therefore, interventions designed to increase physical activity may improve the obesity epidemic among adolescents.
