Perceptions of emotional eating behavior. A qualitative study of college students

Bennett, Jessica Totin; Greene, Geoffrey; Schwartz‐Barcott, Donna

doi:10.1016/j.appet.2012.09.023

Cited by 179 publications

(173 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…In addition, according to Bennett et al, the average college student gains about eleven pounds during college career (1). However, according to Vella-Zarb et al, the average college student gains much less, only about 4 pounds (2).…”

Section: The Problemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further, those in this age bracket who attend college are at a higher risk for weight gain than those who do not (3). This can possibly be attributed to a number of drastic changes in a college student's life related to food, such as the constant availability of unhealthy food choices (1), that influence behaviors such as emotional eating and eating in the absence of hunger (EAH).…”

Section: Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With the onset of college come many sudden changes that have the ability to impact eating behavior, including the constant availability of buffet style dining halls, high amounts of energy dense and nutrient poor food choices, frequent snacking, social pressures, and hectic schedules which decrease time available for physical activity (1).…”

Section: Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The purpose of this research is: [1] to investigate the validity and reliability of a modified survey in assessing EAH in college students, [2] to examine which factor best predicts continual EAH and, and [3] to examine which factor best predicts beginning EAH.…”

Section: Purpose Of Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We hypothesized that [1] the survey tool will display good construct validity and internal consistency reliability, and [2] emotion will best predict continual EAH and beginning EAH.…”

Section: Research Aim and Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 99%

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Eating in the absence of hunger in college students

et al. 2015

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The body is capable of regulating hunger in several ways. Some of these hunger regulation methods are innate, such as genetics, and some, such as the responses to stress and to the smell of food, are innate but can be affected by body conditions such as BMI and physical activity. Further, some hunger regulation methods stem from learned behaviors originating from cultural pressures or parenting styles. These latter regulation methods for hunger can be grouped into the categories: emotion, environment, and physical.The factors that regulate hunger can also influence the incidence of disordered eating, such as eating in the absence of hunger (EAH). Eating in the absence of hunger can occur in one of two scenarios, continuous EAH or beginning EAH. College students are at a particularly high risk for EAH and weight gain due to stress, social pressures, and the constant availability of energy dense and nutrient poor food options.The purpose of this study is to validate a modified EAH-C survey in college students and to discover which of the three latent factors (emotion, environment, physical) best predicts continual and beginning EAH. To do so, a modified EAH-C survey, with additional demographic components, was administered to students at a major southwest university. This survey contained two questions, one each for continuing and beginning EAH, regarding 14 factors related to emotional, physical, or environmental reasons that may trigger EAH.The results from this study revealed that the continual and beginning EAH surveys displayed good internal consistency reliability. We found that for beginning and continuing EAH, although emotion is the strongest predictor of EAH, all three latent ii factors are significant predictors of EAH. In addition, we found that environmental factors had the greatest influence on an individual's likelihood to continue to eat in the absence of hunger. Due to statistical abnormalities and differing numbers of factors in each category, we were unable to determine which of the three factors exerted the greatest influence on an individual's likelihood to begin eating in the absence of hunger.These results can be utilized to develop educational tools aimed at reducing EAH in college students, and ultimately reducing the likelihood for unhealthy weight gain and health complications related to obesity.

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Section: The Problemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Purpose Of Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We hypothesized that [1] the survey tool will display good construct validity and internal consistency reliability, and [2] emotion will best predict continual EAH and beginning EAH.…”

Section: Research Aim and Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 99%

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Eating in the absence of hunger in college students

et al. 2015

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Behavioral health disorders related to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Sharma

Albhaisi

Sanyal

2022

Clinical Liver Disease

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Stress, trauma, and perception of eating behavior changes during the first weeks of the COVID‐19 outbreak

Karvay

Helion

Vafiadis

et al. 2022

Intl J Eating Disorders

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Objective The COVID‐19 pandemic is one of the largest collective stressors in recent history. Consistent with prior research, this stress has led to impactful eating behavior change. While prior life traumas also impact eating behavior, it is unclear whether the current stress experienced during COVID‐19, and prior life traumas (overall, socially relevant, and nonsocially relevant), interact to influence eating behavior changes. Moreover, it is unclear whether current stress and prior traumas impact how eating behavior changes are perceived (i.e., in magnitude, valence, or both) by the individuals experiencing the changes. Therefore, this study sought to examine both the relationship between current stress and perception of eating behavior changes, as well as the moderating impact of prior life traumas on this relationship. Methods Between March and April 2020, participants completed a subjective, self‐report online assessment of current stress, prior life traumas, pandemic‐related changes in eating behaviors, and the perceived impact of eating behavior changes. Results Higher current stress was associated with larger, more negative perceptions of eating behavior changes. This relationship was moderated by prior life traumas. Specifically, the association between current stress and perceived negative impact of eating behavior change was potentiated among those with more prior socially relevant (but not nonsocially relevant) traumas. Discussion These results suggest eating behavior changes occurred early in the pandemic and were uniquely impacted by the cumulative effect of present stress and socially relevant prior life traumas. Public Significance Changes in eating behaviors and pathology have been prevalent during COVID‐19. We examined how stress and prior life traumas interacted during the first weeks of COVID‐19 to influence perceptions of eating behavior change. As altered perception of eating behaviors is a notable feature of eating pathology, these results will help inform development of intervention targets for those at risk for developing disordered eating during future‐ and post‐pandemic recovery.

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Perceptions of emotional eating behavior. A qualitative study of college students

Cited by 179 publications

References 24 publications

Eating in the absence of hunger in college students

Eating in the absence of hunger in college students

Behavioral health disorders related to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Stress, trauma, and perception of eating behavior changes during the first weeks of the COVID‐19 outbreak

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