We examined the associations of emotional eating and depressive symptoms with the consumption of sweet and non-sweet energy-dense foods and vegetables/fruit, also focusing on the possible interplay between emotional eating and depressive symptoms. The participants were 25–64-year-old Finnish men ( n  = 1679) and women ( n  = 2035) from the FINRISK 2007 Study (DILGOM substudy). The Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and a 132-item Food Frequency Questionnaire were used. Emotional eating and depressive symptoms correlated positively ( r  = 0.31 among men and women), and both were related to a higher body mass. Emotional eating was related to a higher consumption of sweet foods in both genders and non-sweet foods in men independently of depressive symptoms and restrained eating. The positive associations of depressive symptoms with sweet foods became non-significant after adjustment for emotional eating, but this was not the case for non-sweet foods. Depressive symptoms, but not emotional eating, were related to a lower consumption of vegetables/fruit. These findings suggest that emotional eating and depressive symptoms both affect unhealthy food choices. Emotional eating could be one factor explaining the association between depressive symptoms and consumption of sweet foods, while other factors may be more important with respect to non-sweet foods and vegetables/fruit.

Emotional eating, depressive symptoms and self-reported food consumption. A population-based study

Emotional eating (EE) is prevalent among women and is associated with obesity. The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and mandatory quarantine increased the risk of mental symptoms and, inferentially, emotional eating (EE). We investigated the EE prevalence and predictors during this pandemic. Overall, 638 women, ages 18–39, completed an online survey incorporating the Emotional Eating Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. We asked about nutrition and collected data on weight, height, and pandemic responses. Most respondents (47.2%) reported low EE; 40.4% were “moderate” and 12.4% “high” emotional eaters; 42.8% reported depression, 27% anxiety, 71% moderate stress, and 12.5% severe stress. The main EE indicators/predictors were fat intake (β = 0.192, p = 0.004), number of meals (β = 0.187, p < 0.001), sugar consumption (β = 0.150, p < 0.001), body mass index (β = 0.149, p < 0.001), stress (β = 0.143, p = 0.004), energy intake (β = 0.134, p = 0.04), and fast food intake frequency (β = 0.111, p < 0.01). EE score correlated negatively with increased family income (β = −0.081, p = 0.049). Higher stress correlated with worse sleep, less sleep, and less physical activity. Emotional eating is common among young Saudi women during the pandemic. We recommend healthy food choices and increased physical activity to improve sleep and mitigate stress.

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/10/2923/pdf

Prevalence and Predictors of Emotional Eating among Healthy Young Saudi Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose This research aims to determine the relationship between the coping skills and emotional eating habits of young adults. Design and methods The population consisted of 473 nursing students whom registered in the Faculty of Health Sciences at a state university in Turkey during 2018 and 2019 education terms. Data were collected through the Demographic Form, Turkish Emotional Eating Scale (TEES), and Coping Style Scale (CSS). Findings "Eating in anxiety" (r = -.174; P = .000) and "eating in the negative mood" (r = -.123; P = .007) subscale scores of TEES showed a statistically significant, negative correlation with the "self-confident approach" subscale score of CSS. Practice implications In light of the data, it is suggested to increase the frequency of psychological counseling offered for these students and setup behavior change training either an individual or group settings. Besides, the conjoint effort of health professionals and psychiatric nurses would be highly beneficial for the development of effective assessment tools to determine students at risk and engage in appropriate prevention strategies such as training programs that would have a direct impact on the students' habitual diet. Subsequent research is recommended incorporating additional variables such as body perception, ideal female image, expectations of perfection toward the body, and self-worth defined thru the body.

Relationship between emotional eating and coping with stress of nursing students.

Background: Increasing evidence indicates that survivors to traumatic events may show disruption of sleep pattern, eating and sexual behaviors, as well as somatic symptoms suggestive of alterations of bio-rhythmicity and vegetative functions. Therefore, aim of this study was to investigate these possible alterations in a sample of survivors in the aftermath of earthquake exposure, with particular attention to gender differences and impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods: High school senior students, who had been exposed to the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake, were enrolled 21 months after the traumatic event and evaluated by the Trauma and Loss Spectrum Self-Report (TALS-SR) to investigate PTSD rates, and by a domain of the Mood Spectrum-Self Report-Lifetime Version (MOODS-SR), to explore alterations in circadian/seasonal rhythms and vegetative functions. Results: The rates of endorsement of MOOD-SR Rhythmicity and vegetative functions domain and subdomain scores were significantly higher in survivors with PTSD with respect to those without it. Amongst all earthquake survivors, women reported higher scores than men on the Rhythmicity and vegetative functions domain and subdomain scores, except for the Rhythmicity and Sexual functions ones. Female survivors without PTSD showed significantly higher scores than men in the Rhythmicity and vegetative functions total scores and the Sleep and Weight and appetite subdomains. Potentially traumatic events burden predicted Rhythmicity and vegetative functions impairment, with a moderation effect of re-experiencing symptoms. Conclusions: We report impairments in rhythmicity, sleep, eating, sexual and somatic health in survivors to a massive earthquake, particularly amongst subjects with PTSD and higher re-experiencing symptoms, with specific gender-related differences. Evaluating symptoms of impaired rhythmicity and vegetative functions seems essential for a more accurate assessment and clinical management of survivors to a mass trauma.

/pdf/disrupted-rhythmicity-and-vegetative-functions-relate-to-52ggh1b3y8.pdf

Disrupted Rhythmicity and Vegetative Functions Relate to PTSD and Gender in Earthquake Survivors.

Unhealthy changes in eating behavior among people experiencing trauma have been observed. There is, however, a lack of in-depth knowledge regarding the impact of the after effects of traumatic life experiences on eating behavior. Because eating behavior represents important components for promotion and maintenance of good health throughout life, this study aimed to explore inpatients’ lived experiences of the impact of traumatic stress on eating behavior. Thirteen female and two male inpatients (age range 28–62 years), recruited from a psychiatric clinic in Norway, participated in this qualitative explorative focus group study. The data analysis was performed using systematic text condensation. The results in the present study describe the participants’ experiences about the impact of traumatic stress on their eating behavior. Their discussions and descriptions disclosed problems that could be summarized into four main themes: “experiencing eating behaviors as coping strategies”; “experiencing being addicted to food and sweets”; “experiencing eating behaviors controlled by stress and emotions”; and “experiencing lack of appetite and reduced capacity to plan and prepare meals”. Traumatic stress can impact eating behavior in several complex ways that over time may cause adverse health consequences. The results add to an important understanding of changes in eating behavior that might appear in people struggling to cope with the after effects of traumatic life experiences to the existing literature. To better understand the complexity of how traumatic experiences may impact eating behavior, this knowledge is important and useful for health professionals offering support to those who experience struggling with eating behavior after traumatic experiences. This study aimed to explore trauma-exposed inpatients experiences about the impact of traumatic stress on eating behavior. Thirteen female and two male inpatients with a history of trauma, recruited from a psychiatric clinic in Norway, participated in this qualitative explorative focus group study. The results in the present study describe the participants’ experiences about the impact of after effects of traumatic experiences on eating behaviors. The findings are summarized into four main themes: “experiencing eating behaviors as coping strategies”; “experiencing being addicted to food and sweets”; “experiencing eating behaviors controlled by stress and emotions”; and “experiencing lack of appetite and reduced capacity to plan and prepare meals”. The results contribute to the existing literature and provide an important understanding of changes in eating behavior that might appear in people struggling with traumatic stress after traumatic experiences. This knowledge is important and useful for health professionals offering help to those struggling with their eating behavior after traumatic experiences.

/pdf/inpatients-experiences-about-the-impact-of-traumatic-stress-1npbajzwi8.pdf

Daniel Gildner

Papers

A model of post-traumatic stress symptoms on binge eating through emotion regulation difficulties and emotional eating.