Emotional eating

A treatment‐worthy construct, or artifact of relations between mood and eating behaviors in younger and older women with obesity

Dados Bibliográficos

ID21392084
AutoresJames J Annesi (0000-0002-5230-6365, YMCA of Metro Atlanta Atlanta GA USA, autor correspondente), Ping H Johnson (0000-0002-5541-7706, Department of Health Promotion and Physical Education Kennesaw State University Kennesaw GA USA)
Ano2021
Volume62
Fascículo2
Páginas193-202
Data de publicação2021-04-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoScandinavian Journal of Psychology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0036-5564 • E-ISSN: 1467-9450
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/sjop.12685
PMID33020941
OpenAlexW3090740554
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas59

Emotional eating (EE) is considered important for controlling weight, especially in women; however, it might be affected by age. Within a recently proposed model assessing theoretical paths from physical activity to changes in psychological variables and then eating behavior and weight, it was unclear if EE was a construct requiring specific treatment attention or if attending to effects of physical activity‐induced mood changes on eating was sufficient. Women with obesity of >35 years‐of‐age ( n = 100) and ≤35 years ( n = 44) participated in a behavioral weight loss treatment and were assessed on psychological factors and physical activity and eating behaviors over 6 months. At baseline, the younger group demonstrated significantly higher scores on physical activity and depression, and significantly lower scores on fruit/vegetable intake. Improvements in Tension (i.e., anxiety), Overall Negative Mood, and dimensions of EE from baseline–Month 3 were significantly greater in the younger group. Similar significant improvements in physical activity and the intake of sweets and fruits/vegetables over 6 months were observed in both groups. Incorporating aggregated data, change in physical activity was significantly related to mood improvements. With the exception of EE related to Anger/Frustration, changes in dimensions of EE and Overall EE significantly mediated the prediction of sweets and fruit/vegetable intake by corresponding dimensions of mood and Overall Mood. Age group significantly moderated embedded relationships between changes in Overall EE and EE‐Anxiety and change in fruit/vegetable intake, with the older age group having stronger relations. Findings suggest that EE is a construct requiring distinct attention within behavioral obesity treatments

Anger · Anxiety · Developmental psychology · Eating behavior · Emotional eating · Mood · Obesity · Physical activity · Physical therapy · Psychiatry · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Clinical Psychology · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology