Associations between Resilience and Food Intake Are Mediated by Emotional Eating in the NutriNet-Santé Study

BACKGROUND

Resilience, the ability to bounce back or recover from stress, has been associated with several health-related behaviors. However, data on food intake and emotional eating are lacking.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to analyze the associations between resilience and diet quality and ultraprocessed food (UPF) and food group consumption, and to assess whether emotional eating was a mediator of these associations.

METHODS

In 2017, 17,840 participants (73.5% female, mean age = 55.4 ± 14.0 y) of the NutriNet-Santé study completed the Brief Resilience Scale, the revised 21-item Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, and ≥3 self-administered 24-h dietary records. Diet quality was assessed with the modified French National Nutrition and Health Program Guideline Score. Foods and beverages consumed were categorized according to their degree of processing by the NOVA classification. We assessed the association between resilience and emotional eating using linear regression models. We also assessed the mediating role of emotional eating in the associations between resilience and diet quality, energy intake, and UPF and food group consumption, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics.

RESULTS

In our study, resilience was negatively associated with emotional eating (P < 0.0001). More resilient participants had greater overall diet quality, greater intakes of seafood, whole-grain foods, fats, unsalted oleaginous fruits, and alcoholic beverages, and lower intakes of UPFs, starchy foods, dairy desserts, sugary fatty products, and sugar and confectionery (all P < 0.05). Emotional eating was a mediator of the inverse associations between resilience and intake of energy, UPFs, dairy desserts, sugary fatty products, and of the positive associations between resilience and alcoholic beverages (all P < 0.05), with a 20-70% mediation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings showed that resilience was associated with an overall better diet quality in the NutriNet-Santé population-based study. These associations were partially explained by emotional eating. These findings suggest that resilience should be considered in the promotion of healthy dietary habits.The study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03335644.

Mastery Is Associated With Weight Status, Food Intake, Snacking, and Eating Disorder Symptoms in the NutriNet-Santé Cohort Study

Mastery is a psychological resource that is defined as the extent to which individuals perceive having control over important circumstances of their lives. Although mastery has been associated with various physical and psychological health outcomes, studies assessing its relationship with weight status and dietary behavior are lacking. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the relationship between mastery and weight status, food intake, snacking, and eating disorder (ED) symptoms in the NutriNet-Santé cohort study. Mastery was measured with the Pearlin Mastery Scale (PMS) in 32,588 adults (77.45% female), the mean age was 50.04 (14.53) years. Height and weight were self-reported. Overall diet quality and food group consumption were evaluated with ≥3 self-reported 24-h dietary records (range: 3-27). Snacking was assessed with an ad-hoc question. ED symptoms were assessed with the Sick-Control-One-Fat-Food Questionnaire (SCOFF). Linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between mastery and weight status, food intake, snacking, and ED symptoms, controlling for sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics. Females with a higher level of mastery were less likely to be underweight (OR: 0.88; 95%CI: 0.84, 0.93), overweight [OR: 0.94 (0.91, 0.97)], or obese [class I: OR: 0.86 (0.82, 0.90); class II: OR: 0.76 (0.71, 0.82); class III: OR: 0.77 (0.69, 0.86)]. Males with a higher level of mastery were less likely to be obese [class III: OR: 0.75 (0.57, 0.99)]. Mastery was associated with better diet quality overall, a higher consumption of fruit and vegetables, seafood, wholegrain foods, legumes, non-salted oleaginous fruits, and alcoholic beverages and with a lower consumption of meat and poultry, dairy products, sugary and fatty products, milk-based desserts, and sweetened beverages. Mastery was also associated with lower snacking frequency [OR: 0.89 (0.86, 0.91)] and less ED symptoms [OR: 0.73 (0.71, 0.75)]. As mastery was associated with favorable dietary behavior and weight status, targeting mastery might be a promising approach in promoting healthy behaviors.

Clinical Trial Registry Number

NCT03335644 at Clinicaltrials.gov.

Pro-inflammatory Diet Pictured in Children With Atopic Dermatitis or Food Allergy: Nutritional Data of the LiNA Cohort

Background

Lifestyle and environmental factors are known to contribute to allergic disease development, especially very early in life. However, the link between diet composition and allergic outcomes remains unclear.

Methods

In the present population-based cohort study we evaluated the dietary intake of 10-year-old children and analyses were performed with particular focus on atopic dermatitis or food allergy, allergic diseases known to be affected by dietary allergens. Dietary intake was assessed via semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires. Based on these data, individual nutrient intake as well as children’s Dietary Inflammatory Index (C-DII™) scores were calculated. Information about atopic manifestations during the first 10 years of life and confounding factors were obtained from standardized questionnaires during pregnancy and annually thereafter.

Results

Analyses from confounder-adjusted logistic regression models (n = 211) revealed that having atopic outcomes was associated with having a pro-inflammatory pattern at the age of 10 years: OR = 2.22 (95% CI: 1.14–4.31) for children with atopic dermatitis and OR = 3.82 (95% CI: 1.47–9.93) for children with food allergy in the first 10 years of life.

Conclusion

A pro-inflammatory dietary pattern might worsen the atopic outcome and reduce the buffering capacity of the individual against harmful environmental exposures or triggers. For pediatricians it is recommended to test for the individual tolerance of allergenic foods and to increase the nutrient density of tolerable food items to avoid undesirable effects of eating a pro-inflammatory diet.

Comparisons of Cooking, Dietary, and Food Safety Characteristics of Food Secure and Food Insecure Sophomores at a University in Appalachia

Introduction

Food insecurity means lacking access to adequate, nutritious, and safe food. Collegiate food insecurity rates at ten Appalachian campuses range from 22.4% to 51.8% and have been associated with unfavorable health and academic outcomes.

Purpose

This study compared cooking, dietary, and food safety characteristics of food secure (FS) and food insecure (FI) sophomores at a university in Appalachia in the context of the USDA definition of food security.

Methods

Data were collected using an online questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential procedures compared FS and FI sophomores (p < 0.05).

Results

Participants (n = 226) were 65.0% females, 76.1% whites, and 46% FI. About 40% of on-campus and 50% of off-campus residents were FI, and 70% of FI students reported needing help accessing food. Cooking was undertaken "less often" by 61.5% of FS and 55.8% of FI sophomores. Mean cooking self-efficacy scores for FS and FI students were 44.9, vs 43.4, (p > 0.05) out of 52 points. Grains were consumed most often by 40% of FS and FI students and vegetables were consumed least often by 70% of both groups. Mean food safety test scores for FS and FI students were 6.2 1.60 vs 6.6 1.52 (p > 0.05) out of 11 points. Requested educational activities included making a budget and planning balanced meals.

Implications

The high rate of food insecurity reflects an ongoing need among sophomores for campus and community food assistance and for educational activities that teach purchasing and preparation of affordable, healthy and safe foods.

Food for thought: Exploring associations between knowledge of the Healthy Living Pyramid, the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and food group intake among Western Australian adolescents

ISSUE ADDRESSED

Evidence indicates adolescents do not comply with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE)-recommended daily serves (RDS). Little research has identified their level of knowledge regarding the guidelines and associations with food intake.

METHODS

Survey methodology was used to measure knowledge of the Healthy Living Pyramid (HLP) and the AGHE-RDS. Food group intake was measured using a modified food frequency questionnaire. A generalised linear model (GLM) investigated the associations between the HLP, RDS knowledge and daily equivalent frequencies (DEFs) for each food group.

RESULTS

The study comprised 190 students aged 14-15 years. The majority reported accurate knowledge of the HLP. Only fruit and vegetable RDS was correctly identified. Participants did not meet DEFs for any food group. For both DEF grains (P = 0.004) and vegetables (P = 0.023) participants with correct knowledge reported a DEF closer to the RDS. For DEF-baked goods and snacks (P = 0.012), participants reporting correct knowledge also reported DEF closer to the RDS. No associations were identified for the other food groups. SO WHAT?: Knowledge of the HLP was more accurate than the AGHE-RDS. Knowledge of fruit and vegetable RDS was better than the other food groups. The positive associations between knowledge and compliance with the RDS suggest knowledge can influence food choice. However, the lack of associations between knowledge and consumption for most food groups suggests clear "do" messages, similar to Go for 2&5, about the RDS for all food groups should be developed for adolescents.

The Influence of Place of Residence, Gender and Age Influence on Food Group Choices in the Spanish Population: Findings from the ANIBES Study

Socioeconomic factors (SEF) can exert a great impact on food choices. However, limited data are available from the Spanish population. Our aim was to describe the influence of place of residence and habitat size on food group intakes. Data were obtained from the ANIBES study. A 3-day dietary record provided information on food and beverage consumption. Data analysis compared gender, age, Nielsen geographic areas, and habitat population size (urban, semi-urban, and rural). Place of residence did not appear to be a determinant for specific food group consumption during childhood and adolescence, as only higher intakes of non-alcoholic beverages were observed among children aged 9 to 12 years living in the East, when compared to those from the Northwest of Spain (p < 0.05). Food choices within adults (18 to 64 years) and seniors (65 to 75 years) were conditioned: sugar and sweets intake was significantly higher (p < 0.05) for adult men living in the Northwest than those from the South, and senior males from North Central areas had significantly higher consumption of eggs (p < 0.05) compared to the Northeast. Basic food group consumption was only affected during childhood and aging. Adults who inhabited rural areas consumed greater quantities of fats and oils than those from higher population densities (p < 0.01). Our results indicate that place of residence and habitat size have a limited influence on food choices, regardless of age and gender in the ANIBES study population. It is fundamental to acknowledge that other SEF variables are important and further studies are needed to monitor and assess these influences are warranted.

Association between adherence to the Korean Food Guidance System and the risk of metabolic abnormalities in Koreans

Consumption of a diet consistent with dietary guidelines is believed to have a beneficial effect on the prevention of chronic diseases and the promotion of general health. This study was conducted to explore the relationship between adherence to the Korean Food Guidance System (KFGS), which was based on the 2010 revised KDRIs, and the risk of metabolic abnormalities. Five hundred and ninety-six Korean adults between 30 and 59 years of age were recruited by advertisement to the Bundang Jesaeng General Hospital (BJGH), and those not taking regular medications and without diagnoses of fulminant disease were included. Data were collected on anthropometric measurements, diagnostic parameters for metabolic syndrome (MetS), and 3-day dietary intakes from individuals in the study. The number of servings consumed from each food group was compared to the KFGS recommended servings for each of the 6 food groups. Poor adherence to the recommendations for servings of milk and dairy products (OR: 2.038, 1.128-3.682) was associated with a higher risk of MetS, and poor adherence to the guidelines for fruit consumption (OR: 1.849, 1.027-3.329) was associated with a higher risk for the existence an elevated waist circumference. Conversely, the consumption of meat, fish, eggs, and beans above the recommended number of servings was associated with a lower risk of having an elevated waist circumference (OR: 0.523, 0.288-0.950), and the consumption of vegetables above the recommended number of servings was associated with a reduced risk of having elevated fasting glucose (OR: 0.533, 0.298-0.954). These results suggest that adherence to the KFGS guidelines helps to prevent the development of MetS, but this association needs to be confirmed by prospective studies.