Emotional Eating and Poor General Lifestyle Prevalent among Obese Young Adults

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the association between obesity and lifestyle factors, eating behaviors related to emotional eating, and body perception. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with individuals of both sexes by taking anthropometric, biochemical and clinical measurements. Questionnaires were used to evaluate lifestyle, eating habits, emotional eating behavior and self-perception of body image. The participants were stratified according to body mass index (BMI). Results: A total of 318 subjects were evaluated (44% women), with an average age of 34 ± 8 years. Regarding the lifestyle questionnaire, the normal BMI group obtained a higher score [ 78.5 (71-82)] than did the overweight [76 (69-80)] and obesity groups [73 (65-79)], (p=0.005); this finding indicated that the normal BMI group had a healthier lifestyle. Conversely, the questionnaire on emotional behaviors related to emotional eating showed that the normal BMI group had lower scores [7 (3-13)] than the overweight [8 (3-15)] and obesity groups [12 (5 -21)], (p=0.008). Being a very emotional eater significantly increases the risk of obesity (OR= 3.83 (95% CI, 1.67-8.7) (p=0.002). Overall, 51.1% of the participants had a self-perception that was incorrect according to their BMI. Conclusion: Individuals frequently have a misperception of their body shape. People with obesity had lifestyle factors that were less favorable for their health as well as higher rates of emotional eating, both of which are risk factors for obesity.