Are emotionally driven and addictive-like eating behaviors the missing links between psychological distress and greater body weight?
Appetite. 2018-01-01; 120: 536-546
DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2017.10.013
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1. Appetite. 2018 Jan 1;120:536-546. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2017.10.013. Epub 2017
Oct 10.
Are emotionally driven and addictive-like eating behaviors the missing links
between psychological distress and greater body weight?
Bourdier L(1), Orri M(2), Carre A(3), Gearhardt AN(4), Romo L(5), Dantzer C(6),
Berthoz S(7).
Author information:
(1)EA4430 CLIPSYD, University Paris Nanterre, 92000 Nanterre, France. Electronic
address: .
(2)CESP, INSERM, University Paris-Sud, UVSQ, University Paris-Saclay, 94800,
Villejuif, France.
(3)Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, LIP/PC2S, F-73000, Chambéry, France.
(4)Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
(5)EA4430 CLIPSYD, University Paris Nanterre, 92000 Nanterre, France; INSERM
U894 CPN, CMME Centre Hospitalier Sainte Anne, 75014, Paris, France.
(6)Laboratory of Psychology, University of Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux, France.
(7)CESP, INSERM, University Paris-Sud, UVSQ, University Paris-Saclay, 94800,
Villejuif, France; Psychiatry Unit, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, 75014,
Paris, France.
There is now a large body of evidence suggesting a significant association
between emotional discomfort management, disordered eating behaviors and weight
status. In the field of overweight and obesity, emotionally driven eating habits
that resemble addictive behaviors are considered as a risk factor. This study
aimed to investigate in a large sample of French university students 1) the
associations between self-reported levels of psychological distress (PD),
emotional eating (EE), food addiction (FA) and Body Mass Index (BMI); and 2) the
potential mediation effect of eating behaviors (EE and FA) between PD and BMI.
The responses of 1051 students (76.3% females) to self-reports assessing PD
(Perceived Stress Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), EE (Intuitive
Eating Scale-2) and FA (modified Yale Food Addiction Scale) were analysed.
Associations between variables (Spearman correlation) and group comparisons by
sex and BMI categories (Student’s t tests/ANOVA) were tested, followed by
Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) by sex. Among females and males, EE and FA
scores were positively inter-related and correlated with PD scores and BMI.
Moreover, among females and males, SEM showed that both EE and FA acts as
mediators between PD and BMI. Hence, among educated young adults, using food
consumption for down-regulating negative mood places the individual at risk for
overweight and obesity. This study further emphasizes the necessity to take into
account emotionally driven and addictive-like eating behaviors in interventions
for promoting healthy eating and weight management.
Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2017.10.013
PMID: 29030085 [Indexed for MEDLINE]