Weight regulation practices of young adults. Predictors of restrictive eating

The association between night eating syndrome and GERD symptoms among university students at An-Najah National University in Palestine: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Night eating syndrome (NES) is a kind of eating disorder. NES association with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms among university students is still not fully understood. We aimed to determine the relationship between NES and the presence of GERD symptoms among university students at An-Najah National University in Palestine.

METHODS

This study involved undergraduate students from An-Najah National University. The data were collected through online surveys from November to December 2023. The sampling frame involved voluntary sampling, as the data were collected using a structured questionnaire to collect data on sociodemographic variables, medical history, lifestyle habits, nutritional status, GERD risk, and NES. The GERD questionnaire (GerdQ) was used to assess symptoms, while the Arabic version of the validated Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ) was used to assess night eating. Physical activity was assessed using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (SF-IPAQ), and adherence to a Mediterranean diet was assessed using the validated Arabic version of the MEDAS. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were also conducted to assess the study hypotheses.

RESULTS

The study involved 554 participants, 59.9% female. A total of 33.4% reported GERD symptoms, with 10.3% having NES. A strong association was observed between GERD and NES and between GERD and physical activity. Night eating syndrome (AOR = 2.84, CI = 1.07-3.19), high physical activity (AOR = 0.473, CI = 1.05-3.19), and non-smoking (AOR = 0.586, CI = 1.27-7.89) were identified as independent predictors of GERD symptoms.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that 33.4% of undergraduate students were at risk of GERD, with night eaters having a greater risk. GERD risk was negatively associated with physical activity level and smoking status. No associations were found between GERD risk and weight status, Mediterranean diet adherence, sociodemographic factors, or sleep disturbances.

Compensatory health motivations and behaviors scale: Development, evaluation, psychometric properties and a preliminary validation

The "Compensatory Health Beliefs" scale assesses the degree to which one believes that unhealthy behaviours can be compensated through healthier ones. However, no validated scale to assess compensatory weight-related behaviors exists. The study's objective was to develop (Study 1) and validate (Study 2) a questionnaire measuring compensatory health motivations and behaviors (CHMB) and to assess their associations with body mass index (BMI) and psychological weight-related measures. An initial 34-item measure was constructed based on a target sample's (Study 1, n = 158) suggestions and refined based on expert feedback. The measure was then tested in a representative Canadian adult sample (N = 1400, 48.7% male). The sample was stratified by sex and age and then randomly split into two (N = 701 for exploratory factor analysis; N = 699 for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) cross-validation). Fit indices, standardized Cronbach's alphas and the associations between the CHMB model with cognitive restraint, weight concerns, and BMI were assessed in multiple linear regression models controlling for age and sex. The final CHMB model (n = 17 items) consisted of four subscales: (1) motivation, (2) use on special occasions, (3) general use, (4) compensatory health beliefs. Fit indices (Goodness of Fit Index = 0.922) and Cronbach's alphas were good (α = 0.88). In multiple linear regression models, all CHMB subscales were associated with greater cognitive restraint in eating. Compensatory behavior use on special occasions was associated with greater weight concern (B = 0.12, p < .0001), while general compensatory behavior use was associated with lower weight concern (B = -0.07, p < .05). None of the subscales were associated with BMI. The validated CHMB scale allows for the assessment of compensatory health motivations and behaviors in a Canadian population. Research on whether this scale can predict weight changes and general health is needed.

Barriers and facilitators of intuitive eating in postmenopausal women: A qualitative study

This qualitative descriptive research explored barriers and facilitators of the intuitive eating (IE) implementation process, as experienced by six postmenopausal women classified as 'overweight' or 'obese'. The data was analysed using deductive and inductive thematic analysis and six themes were identified. IE implementation included developing scepticism about weight loss diets, dealing with hunger and satiety cues, making nutritious food choices for one's body, struggling with emotional eating, learning to accept one's body and challenging weight stigma and sociocultural norms of beauty and thinness. IE allowed women to develop a more peaceful relationship with their diet, and was accepted as a welcome alternative to dieting.

Night eating syndrome is associated with mental health issues among palestinian undergraduate students-cross sectional study

BACKGROUND

University students are exposed to several factors associated with Night Eating Syndrome NES, which is distinguished by nocturnal consumption and/or evening hyperphagia. The main purpose of the current study is to examine the state of NES, and to explore its relationship with selected factors (e.g. sociodemographic factors, lifestyle habits, body mass index "BMI", and mental health) among a sample of undergraduates.

METHODS

A cross-section design was done among undergraduates recruited from three universities in the southern part of Palestine. Students completed a self-administrated questionnaire including demographic information, lifestyle habits, medical profile, and the Arabic version of Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ). Mental health status was also assessed using the Arabic version of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Cronbach alpha was used to check the reliability of the Arabic version of NEQ. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate approach.

RESULTS

A total of 475 participants were included in the study, 197 (47%) males, 253(54%) females. Mean age was 19.8 ± 1.4 years, ranged from 18 to 25 years old. It is found that 141 university students (29.7%) screened positive for NES. According to univariate analysis, NES was significantly related to gender (p = 0.023), major (p = 0.005), personal monthly income (p = 0.007), source of funding (p = 0.005), and mental health (p < 0.005). Besides, the results of binary logistic regression revealed that having mental health problems (Exp (B) = 4.18; 95% CI = 2.50-6.98; p = 0.000), males (Exp (B) = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.17-3.39; p = 0.014), and those who study expenses was not covered either by scholarship or parents (Exp (B) = 2.75; 95% CI = 1.29-5.8; p = 0.08) were significantly associated with NES.

CONCLUSION

It is found that NES is common among Palestinian university students. In this study, NES was significantly more prevalent among males, and those who were studying scientific majors, having a personal income between 500 and 1000 new Israeli shekel per month, and having mental problems, and those whose studies were funded by neither by a scholarship nor by their parents.

Emotion regulation, perfectionism, and eating disorder symptoms in adolescents: the mediating role of cognitive eating patterns

Poor emotion regulation, along with elevated perfectionism, is recognised as a risk factor for the development of eating disorder (ED) symptoms. Therefore, the aim of our study was to examine the relationship between emotion regulation difficulties and perfectionism with ED symptoms, while controlling for emotional eating, uncontrolled eating, and cognitive restraint as mediators. In total, 482 adolescents (246 girls and 236 boys; M = 15.00, SD = 0.31) participated in this study. Based on the participants' body height and weight measured by the medical team during their regular preventive health examinations, the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Participants also answered the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, and Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire. According to the results obtained, adolescent girls in our sample reported more difficulties in emotion regulation, more uncontrolled and emotional eating, and more ED symptoms. A significant direct effect was found for difficulties in emotion regulation and ED symptoms but not for perfectionism. In addition, only emotional eating and cognitive restraint (not uncontrolled eating) mediated the relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and perfectionism and ED symptoms. The results suggest that difficulties in emotion regulation may be more important than perfectionism in explaining ED symptoms in a sample of healthy adolescents. When adolescents experience problems in emotion regulation in combination with emotional or uncontrolled eating, they might be at a higher risk of experiencing concerns about weight and a variety of other ED symptoms, and this should be considered when planning preventive interventions for adolescents.

A systematic review of the psychosocial correlates of intuitive eating among adult women

Intuitive eating has been proposed as an eating style that fosters a positive attitude towards food, the body, and physical activity. A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to examine intuitive eating in relation to disordered eating, body image, emotional functioning, and other psychosocial correlates in adult women. Articles were identified through Academic Search Complete, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Health Source (Nursing and Academic Edition), Medline Complete, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, PubMed and Scopus. Eligible studies were those that examined women aged 18 years and older, measured intuitive eating, and assessed a psychosocial correlate of intuitive eating. Twenty-four cross-sectional studies, published between 2006 and September 2015, met eligibility criteria. Intuitive eating was associated with less disordered eating, a more positive body image, greater emotional functioning, and a number of other psychosocial correlates that have been examined less extensively. However, given that all studies used cross-sectional designs, no conclusions regarding the direction of the relationship between intuitive eating and psychosocial correlates can be drawn. Participants in the majority of studies were university students in the United States so findings cannot be generalised to the wider population of female adults. Prospective studies are now needed to verify these cross-sectional findings, and show if intuitive eating may reduce disordered eating and body image concerns, and promote women's psychological health and well-being.

Exploring the "weight" of food cravings and thought suppression among Cuban adults

PURPOSE

The current study aimed to analyze individual differences on food cravings, intrusive-related thoughts and its suppression between normal weight and overweight/obese Cuban adults.

METHODS

Participants were 1,184 individuals from general population, aged between 18 and 64 years (M = 32.89; SD = 12.87), with 69.1 % females. All participants answered a set of questionnaires and provided demographic, anthropometric and clinical data.

RESULTS

Overweight/obese individuals had higher mean scores than normal weight individuals on food cravings (including its nine dimensions) and food and body weight/shape thought suppression. Large effect sizes were found for body weight/shape thoughts suppression and lack of control over eating, where overweight and obese individuals showed the highest scores. This trend was also found for food thoughts suppression, food cravings trait, cue-dependent eating, preoccupation with food and guilty feelings, with effect sizes from medium to large. Finally, medium effect sizes were observed for intention to eat and negative affect.

CONCLUSION

Overweight/obese individuals experienced more food cravings and food and body weight/shape thought suppression than normal weight individuals among Cuban adults.

Prevalence and clinical significance of night eating syndrome in university students

PURPOSE

Most studies of night eating syndrome (NES) fail to control for binge eating, despite moderate overlap between the two conditions. Establishing the independent clinical significance of NES is imperative for it to be considered worthy of clinical attention. We compared students with and without NES on eating disorder symptomatology, quality of life, and mental health, while exploring the role of binge eating in associations.

METHODS

Students (N = 1,636) ages 18-26 years (M = 20.9) recruited from 10 U.S. universities completed an online survey including the Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), Project Eating Among Teens, and the Health-Related Quality of Life-4. NES was diagnosed according to endorsement of proposed diagnostic criteria on the NEQ. Groups (NES vs. non-NES) were compared on all dependent variables and stratified by binge eating status in secondary analyses.

RESULTS

The prevalence of NES in our sample was 4.2%; it decreased to 2.9% after excluding those with binge eating. Body mass index did not differ between groups, but students with NES were significantly more likely to have histories of underweight and anorexia nervosa. In students with NES, EDE-Q scores were significantly higher; purging, laxative use, and compulsive exercise were more frequent; quality of life was reduced; and histories of depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and self-injury were more common. Binge eating did not account for all of these differences; the presence of it and NES was associated with additive risk for psychopathology on some items.

CONCLUSIONS

NES may be a distinct clinical entity from other DSM-5 eating disorders.