Association between Emotional Eating and Frequency of Unhealthy Food Consumption among Taiwanese Adolescents.

Chung Bui,Ya-Wen Chiu,Hung-Yi Chiou,Chih-Yi Wu,Li-Yin Lin

doi:10.3390/nu13082739

Chung Bui, Ya-Wen Chiu + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13082739

Copy DOI

Abstract

Emotional eating is one factor that increases the consumption of unhealthy food. This study aimed to investigate the association between emotional eating and frequencies of consuming fast food, high-fat snacks, processed meat products, dessert foods, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in adolescents. The baseline survey data (2015) from the Taiwan Adolescent to Adult Longitudinal Study (TAALS) were fitted into multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for sex, school type, Body Mass Index (BMI), eating while doing something, nutrition label reading, skipping breakfast, smoking, binge drinking, sedentary lifestyle, physical activity, peer and school support, and parental education level. Among the 18,461 participants (48.5% male and 51.5% female), those exhibiting emotional eating were more likely to consume fast food (Odds ratio (OR) = 2.40, 95% Confidence interval (CI): 2.18–2.64), high-fat snacks (OR = 2.30, 95% CI: 2.12–2.49), processed meat products (OR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.78–2.08), dessert foods (OR = 2.49, 95% CI: 2.31–2.69), and sugar-sweetened beverages (OR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.70–1.98). Factors that were positively associated with unhealthy food consumption included eating while doing other activities, binge drinking, smoking, and sedentary lifestyle. Among all the covariates, nutrition label reading was the only factor that was inversely associated with frequent unhealthy food consumption. Sex and school type may moderate the effect of emotional eating on the frequent consumption of specific unhealthy food groups. In conclusion, adolescents with high emotional eating were more likely to report frequent consumption of unhealthy foods in Taiwan. Our findings showed that male participants appeared to consume fast foods, high-fat snacks, processed meat, and SSBs more often and dessert foods less often than females. Future longitudinal studies are recommended for understanding the causal relationship between emotional eating and unhealthy food consumption.

Highlights

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Nutrient Profile for South-EastAsia Regions, unhealthy foods are foods high in energy, sodium, and sugar content and low in nutrients such as protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and fiber [1].Ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are a subset of unhealthy foods and are defined as industrially formulated foods with the same nutritional characteristics as those listed above for unhealthy foods [2]
In this population-based, cross-sectional study, we aimed to assess the association between emotional eating and frequency of unhealthy food consumption among Taiwanese adolescents and the potential influencing factors associated with emotional eating
Our findings provide a representative model for the frequent consumption of fast foods, high-fat snacks, processed meat products, dessert foods, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) among young adolescents and the influence of complex factors including health behaviors, individual factors, and social determinants

Summary

Introduction

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Nutrient Profile for South-EastAsia Regions, unhealthy foods are foods high in energy, sodium, and sugar content and low in nutrients such as protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and fiber [1].Ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are a subset of unhealthy foods and are defined as industrially formulated foods with the same nutritional characteristics as those listed above for unhealthy foods [2]. Asia Regions, unhealthy foods are foods high in energy, sodium, and sugar content and low in nutrients such as protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and fiber [1]. UPFs often contain either food substances that rarely appear in the home kitchen (such as high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated or inter-esterified oils, and hydrolyzed proteins) or food additives with the purpose of imitating the natural flavors or increasing palatability (such as flavors; colorants; emulsifiers; emulsifying salts; artificial sweeteners; thickeners; and antifoaming, bulking, carbonating, foaming, gelling, and glazing agents) [2]. Being overweight or obese is strongly associated with overconsumption of energy-dense food and physical inactivity.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion