Relationship of Eating Behaviors with Age,Anthropometric Measurements,and Body Composition Parameters among Professional Indian Women

One hundred volunteer female college teachers were selected from Jalandhar, Punjab, India. General obesity was found in 56.6%, 76.9%, and 76.2%, abdominal obesity in 56.6%, 57.7%, and 81.0%, of 30- to 39-year-old (Group I), 40- to 49-year-old, (Group II) and 50- to 59-year-old (Group III) participants, respectively. A significantly (p ≤ .05) lower mean value of uncontrolled eating domain was observed in the participants belonging to Group I in comparison to Groups II and III. The cognitive restraint was less in Group III (13.71%), followed by Group II (14.04%) and I (13.71%). The mean values of emotional eating domain revealed not much difference in Group I (12.19%), Group II (12.65%), and Group III (12.00%). Adiposity showed a significant (p ≤ .10, .05) relationship with age and eating behaviors. In conclusion, lesser cognitive dietary restraint and emotional eating were the variables associated with adiposity in the participants.     

Eating Behaviors,Depressive Symptoms and Lifestyle in University Students in Poland

Young adulthood is the period from the late teens through the twenties and is associated with life transitions that could contribute to the development of obesity. Targeting this group will be critical to reversing the obesity epidemic. The aim of the study was to investigate the eating behaviors and lifestyle of healthcare students in Poland. We enrolled 227 students in the study. Convenience sampling was employed. Diet (Food Frequency Questionnaire), physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), impulsivity (Barratt Impulsivity Scale), and eating behaviors (Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire) were assessed. One in three students exhibited depressive symptoms, one in four showed low levels of physical activity. More than 40% of the students did not consume vegetables at least once a day, and more than half did not consume fruit. Only approximately 50% of the students ate fish several times a month. There was an association between high scores of specific eating behaviors and body weight, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and consumption of specific product groups (sweets, alcohol). The results of our study are expected to contribute to a better understanding of dietary habits and overweight/obesity in university students, and support the development of programs to promote healthy lifestyles in that population.     

Bidirectional Associations between Restrained Eating and Body Mass Index in Middle Childhood

The nature of the association between dietary restraint and weight has been examined in adult samples, but much less is known about this relationship among children. The current study examined the transactional associations among restrained eating behavior and weight among boys and girls during middle childhood. Data for this study came from 263 children participating in the Families and Schools for Health Project (FiSH), a longitudinal study of the psychosocial correlates of childhood obesity. Participants were interviewed by trained researchers in their third- and fourth-grade year when they completed questionnaires and anthropometric assessments. Dietary restraint was assessed using the restrained eating subscale of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ), and weight was assessed using Body Mass Index z-scores (BMIz). Bidirectional associations between variables were examined using cross-lagged models controlling for children’s sex, ethnicity, and weight in first grade. Results indicated that weight in grade 3 was related to greater dietary restraint in grade 4 (B = 0.20, p = 0.001), but dietary restraint in grade 3 was not associated with weight in grade 4 (B = 0.01, p = 0.64). Neither child sex nor race/ethnicity were associated with BMIz or dietary restraint at either time point. Findings from this study advance the existing limited understanding of eating behavior development among children and show that weight predicts increases in children’s dietary restraint in middle childhood.     

Gender Differences in the Relationships between Perceived Stress,Eating Behaviors,Sleep, Dietary Risk,and Body Mass Index

Background: Obesity is a growing epidemic among university students, and the high levels of stress reported by this population could contribute to this issue. Singular relationships between perceived stress; engagement in restrained, uncontrolled, and emotional eating; sleep; dietary risk; and body mass index (BMI) have been reported in the current body of literature; however, these constructs interact with each other, and the complex relationships among them are infrequently examined. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the complex relationships between these constructs using mediation and moderation analyses stratified by gender. Methods: A cross-sectional study, enrolling university students from the United States (U.S.), the Netherlands, South Korea, Malaysia, Ireland, Ghana, and China, was conducted between October 2020 and January 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Perceived stress; maladaptive eating behaviors including restrained, uncontrolled, and emotional eating; sleep duration and quality; dietary risk; and BMI were assessed using validated questionnaires, which were distributed through an online platform. Results: A total of 1392 students completed the online survey (379 male, 973 female, and 40 who self-identified as “other”). Uncontrolled and emotional eating mediated the relationship between perceived stress and dietary risk for both males and females; higher sleep quality weakened this relationship among female students but not males. Emotional eating mediated the relationship between perceived stress and BMI for both males and females, but higher sleep quality weakened this relationship only among females. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that students in higher education are likely to benefit from interventions to reduce uncontrolled and emotional eating. Programs that improve sleep quality, especially during highly stressful periods, may be helpful.     

Evaluating the Relationship of Eating Behaviors of University Students with Body Mass Index and Self-Esteem

This study investigated the relationship between eating behaviors (Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire–DEBQ), self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale–RSES), and body mass index (BMI) in university students. A total of 503 students (129 men and 374 women), 18–23 years of age were included in the study. According to BMI, 8.3% of students were underweight; 47.3% were overweight; and 74.4% were of healthy weight. The level of self-esteem of 86.5% of young people was high, 13.5% moderate. The mean score (33.3 ± 11.8) of emotional-eating behavior was higher for women than for men (27.9 ± 10.1) . Recommendations include assessing eating behaviors via longitudinal studies with large samples, and identifying at-risk groups, as useful approaches for informing prevention.     

Correlations of Physical Activity,Body Mass Index,Shift Duty,and Selected Eating Habits among Nurses in Riyadh,Saudi Arabia

Nurses are the largest group of direct health providers and can serve as role models for their patients. In this cross sectional study we assessed the relationship among physical activity and barriers, shift duty, elevated BMI, and selected eating habits among 362 non-Saudi female nurses in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Results showed that 46.7% were either overweight or obese. Marital status, shift duty, education level, and BMI were significant predictors of physical activity. Weather was the most frequently reported barrier to physical activity (88.3%), followed by a lack of transportation (82.6%), and a lack of time (81.3%). Nurses who worked shift duty had significantly (p = 0.004) higher BMIs compared with day shift nurses. Nurses who rarely ate breakfast (p = 0.004) and meals (p = 0.001) and often eat fast food (p = 0.001) were more likely to be overweight or obese. Nurses should be encouraged for a better healthy lifestyles.     

Characteristics of Eating Habits and Physical Activity in Relation to Body Mass Index Among Adolescents

Objective: To assess eating habits and the level of physical activity in adolescents and develop a predictive model for the body mass index (BMI) based on these variables.

Design: In this cross-sectional study, eating habits and the level of physical activity were assessed using a questionnaire validated in adolescents. Body mass and height collected during the last annual checkup were extracted from personal medical records.

Subjects: The sample included 330 boys and 377 girls (mean age 15.8 ± 0.2 years) who were first-year high school students in the city of Belgrade, Serbia.

Measures: Responses to each of the 14 questions about eating habits and 6 questions about physical activity were scored from the least (0) to the most (3) desired behaviors. These ratings were then averaged to arrive to an aggregate score for each domain. The BMI was calculated according to the standard method. A series of regression analyses was performed to derive the best model for predicting BMI in boys and girls based on individual eating habits and physical activity items, first separately and then combined.

Results: In the sample, 24.5% of boys and 9.5% of girls were overweight or obese. Girls’ eating habits were better than boys (mean aggregate score 2.3 ± 0.3 and 2.1 ± 0.3, respectively, p < 0.001), whereas the level of physical activity was greater in boys than girls (2.1 ± 0.6 vs 1.9 ± 0.6, p < 0.001). The differences between boys and girls in the BMI, eating habits, and physical activity remained significant after controlling for their knowledge about healthy eating and education level of their parents. Eating habits were a better predictor of BMI than physical activity, particularly in boys (R ² = 0.13 vs R ² = 0.02) compared to girls (R ² = 0.04 vs R ² = 0.01). Combining eating habits and physical activity in the multivariate model of BMI resulted in a better predictive accuracy in boys (R ² = 0.17) but not girls (R ² = 0.04).

Conclusions: Eating habits and physical activity differ between adolescent boys and girls and can predict BMI, particularly in boys. The results suggest the need to develop gender-specific programs for promoting healthy lifestyle among adolescents in our country.     

Subjective Social Status Is Associated with Dysregulated Eating Behaviors and Greater Body Mass Index in an Urban Predominantly Black and Low-Income Sample

Background: Higher subjective social status (SSS) or a person’s perception of their social standing is related to better health outcomes, but few studies examined SSS in relation to obesity. Emotional eating and food addiction have been linked to obesity. Some studies indicated that manipulating SSS may lead to altered food intake, but the relationship between SSS and dysregulated eating, such as emotional eating and food addiction (FA), has not been examined. The goal of this study was to examine the associations between SSS in the community and the larger society, dysregulated eating (emotional eating and FA), and body mass index (BMI) in a majority racial minority sample. Methods: The participants (N = 89; 93% Black, 86% women, and 56% with obesity; 72% income lower than USD 2000), recruited from a publicly funded hospital in Atlanta, GA, completed the MacArthur Scale, Dutch Eating Behaviors Questionnaire, Yale Food Addiction Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, PTSD Symptom Checklist, and demographics questionnaire. Results: Twenty-two percent of the sample met the criteria for FA; those with FA had significantly higher BMI than those without (p = 0.018). In the hierarchical linear regression, the SSS community (but not in society) predicted higher severity of emotional eating (β = 0.26, p = 0.029) and FA (β = 0.30, p = 0.029), and higher BMI (β = 0.28, p = 0.046), independent from depression and PTSD symptoms. Conclusions: The findings indicate that, among Black individuals with predominantly low income in the U.S., perceived role in their community is associated with eating patterns and body mass. Given the small sample size, the results should be interpreted with caution.     

The Profiling of Diet and Physical Activity in Reproductive Age Women and Their Association with Body Mass Index

Pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and postpartum are critical life stages associated with higher weight gain and obesity risk. Among these women, the sociodemographic groups at highest risk for suboptimal lifestyle behaviours and core lifestyle components associated with excess adiposity are unclear. This study sought to identify subgroups of women meeting diet/physical activity (PA) recommendations in relation to sociodemographics and assess diet/PA components associated with body mass index (BMI) across these life stages. Cross-sectional data (Australian National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey 2011–2012) were analysed for pre-pregnancy, pregnant and postpartum women. The majority (63–95%) of women did not meet dietary or PA recommendations at all life stages. Core and discretionary food intake differed by sociodemographic factors. In pre-pregnant women, BMI was inversely associated with higher whole grain intake (β = −1.58, 95% CI −2.96, −0.21; p = 0.025) and energy from alcohol (β = −0.08, −0.14, −0.005; p = 0.035). In postpartum women, BMI was inversely associated with increased fibre (β = −0.06, 95% CI −0.11, −0.004; p = 0.034) and PA (β = −0.002, 95% CI −0.004, −0.001; p = 0.013). This highlights the need for targeting whole grains, fibre and PA to prevent obesity across life stages, addressing those most socioeconomically disadvantaged.     

The Relationship between Restrained Eating,Body Image,and Dietary Intake among University Students in China: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study aims to explore the association between restrained eating, body image, and dietary intake among Chinese college students. This cross-sectional study included 1301 college students at two universities in Hunan Province. Electronic questionnaires were used to collect information including students’ demographic characteristics, restrained eating, perception of body weight, body satisfaction, and dietary intake. Anthropometric measurements were collected to calculate body mass index (BMI). The prevalence of high restrained eating was 52.8%. Students who were dissatisfied with their bodies or overestimated their body weight showed a higher tendency toward high restrained eating (p < 0.05). Students with high restrained eating tended to eat fruits and eggs more frequently, while the frequency of eating domestic animals and poultry, sugar-sweetened beverages, and fast food were the opposite. Moreover, high restrained eating was a risk factor for low dietary diversity (odds ratio (OR) = 1.384, 95% confidence interval: 1.002~1.912). The high incidence of restrained eating among Chinese college students and its energy-restricted diets that may lead to possible health implications require attention. Further studies are needed to investigate the characteristics of college students’ restrained eating to tailor appropriate interventions for forming positive body images and promoting healthy eating behaviors, thus, improving dietary quality.     

Body Image,Food Addiction,Depression, and Body Mass Index in University Students

The relationship between body image, depression, food addiction and body mass index (BMI) and differences in these variables due to gender and field of education have not been studied extensively. This study was conducted on a total of 793 university students (20.19 ± 1.90 years). The Beck Depression Inventory, Yale Food Addiction, and Body Image Scale were used. It was determined that body image scores of females and individuals enrolled in health sciences programs were lower compared to those of males and those enrolled in the social sciences. There was a negative relationship between body image and depression and food addiction scores. There was a positive relationship between food addiction and depression scores, in addition to a positive relationship between food addiction and BMI.     

Association of Body Mass Index and Plant-Based Diet with Cognitive Impairment among Older Chinese Adults: A Prospective,Nationwide Cohort Study

To examine the association of body mass index (BMI) and a plant-based diet (PBD) with cognitive impairment in older adults, this cohort study used data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), a national, community-based, longitudinal, prospective study in China. Cognitive function was evaluated via the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Diet was assessed using a simplified food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and PBD patterns were estimated using the overall plant-based diet index (PDI), the healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI), and the unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI). BMI was measured objectively during the physical examination. Cox proportional hazard models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used. A total of 4792 participants with normal cognition at baseline were included, and 1077 participants were identified as having developed cognitive impairment during the 24,156 person-years of follow-up. A reverse J-shaped association was observed between BMI and cognitive impairment (p = 0.005 for nonlinearity). Participants who were overweight (HR = 0.79; 95% CI 0.66–0.95) and obese (HR = 0.72; 95% CI 0.54–0.96) had a decreased risk of cognitive impairment, while those who were underweight (HR = 1.42; 95% CI 1.21–1.66) had an increased risk. Lower PDI, lower hPDI, and higher uPDI were associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment (HR = 1.32; 95% CI 1.16–1.50 for PDI; HR = 1.46; 95% CI 1.29–1.66 for hPDI; HR = 1.21; 95% CI 1.06–1.38 for uPDI). The protective effect of being overweight on cognitive impairment was more pronounced among participants with a higher PDI (HR = 0.74; 95% CI 0.57–0.95) than those with a lower PDI (HR = 0.87; 95% CI 0.67–1.12), among participants with a higher hPDI (HR = 0.73; 95% CI 0.57–0.94) than those with a lower hPDI (HR = 0.93; 95% CI 0.72–1.10), and among participants with a lower uPDI (HR = 0.61; 95% CI 0.46–0.80) than those with a higher uPDI (HR = 1.01; 95% CI 0.80–1.27). Our results support the positive associations of overweight status, obesity, an overall PBD, and a healthful PBD with cognitive function in older adults. A lower adherence to an overall PBD, a healthful PBD, and a higher adherence to an unhealthful PBD may attenuate the protective effect of being overweight on cognitive function.     

The Relationship between Body Composition,Dietary Intake,Physical Activity,and Pulmonary Status in Adolescents and Adults with Cystic Fibrosis

Measures of body fat and lean mass may better predict important clinical outcomes in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) than body mass index (BMI). Little is known about how diet quality and exercise may impact body composition in these patients. Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) body composition, 24-h dietary recall, and physical activity were assessed in a cross-sectional analysis of 38 adolescents and adults with CF and 19 age-, race-, and gender-matched healthy volunteers. Compared with the healthy volunteers, participants with CF had a lower appendicular lean mass index (ALMI), despite no observed difference in BMI, and their diets consisted of higher glycemic index foods with a greater proportion of calories from fat and a lower proportion of calories from protein. In participants with CF, pulmonary function positively correlated with measures of lean mass, particularly ALMI, and negatively correlated with multiple measures of body fat after controlling for age, gender, and BMI. Higher physical activity levels were associated with greater ALMI and lower body fat. In conclusion, body composition measures, particularly ALMI, may better predict key clinical outcomes in individuals with CF than BMI. Future longitudinal studies analyzing the effect of dietary intake and exercise on body composition and CF-specific clinical outcomes are needed.     

Body Mass Index, masculinities and moral worth: men's critical understandings of 'appropriate' weight-for-height

Based on the Body Mass Index (BMI, kg/m(2)), most men in nations such as the UK and USA are reportedly overweight or obese. This is authoritatively defined as a massive and growing problem. Drawing from embodied sociology, critical obesity literature and qualitative data generated during an Economic and Social Research Council funded project on masculinities and weight-related issues, this paper offers a critical realist contribution to the obesity debate. Rather than endorsing the institutionalised war on fat, and correcting so-called 'laymen' who dismiss medicalized weight-for-height recommendations, the following presents and honours men's justificatory accounts for levels of body mass that medicine labels too heavy (implicitly or explicitly too fat). Men's critical understandings, which are connected to their displays of moral worth, are considered under three headings: the compatibility of heaviness, healthiness and physical fitness; looking and feeling ill at a supposedly 'healthy' BMI; and resisting irrational standardisation. By empirically 'bringing in' men's meanings, sensibilities and culturally informed aesthetics, this paper casts a different light on medicalized measures that support potentially corrosive obesity epidemic psychology.     

Children's Food Store,Restaurant, and Home Food Environments and Their Relationship with Body Mass Index: A Pilot Study

This pilot research assessed the feasibility and utility of a study designed to examine the relationship between children's BMI and food store, restaurant, and home food environments. Home visits were conducted with sixth-grade children (N = 12). BMI z-scores were calculated with weight and height measurements. Nutrition Environment Measures Surveys evaluated children's food environments. The study protocol involved a feasible time duration, minimal missing data for primary variables, and participant satisfaction. Potential design problems included the homogeneous store environments and low restaurant exposure of the sample recruited from one school, and the adequacy of a single cross-sectional measure of the home environment.     

Food Intake Patterns and Body Mass Index in Older Adults: A Review of the Epidemiological Evidence

The relationship between food intake patterns and obesity remains unclear. The objective of the present review was to evaluate the current body of literature on food intake patterns of older adults and their associations with weight status, including obesity and waist circumference. Eleven observational studies were identified and reviewed. Diets characterized by more favorable dietary scores or indices were generally inversely related to body mass index. Results from data-driven approaches were inconsistent. Findings from this literature review suggest that there is no clear relationship between food intake patterns and body mass index or waist circumference in older adults. Limitations, including heterogeneity of food intake patterns and study populations, hinder the ability to make clear comparisons. Continued efforts to elucidate the relationship between food intake patterns and weight status indicators in older adults, including longitudinal analyses and use of novel statistical approaches for food intake pattern identification, are warranted.     

Adherence to Dietary and Physical Activity Guidelines in Australian Undergraduate Biomedical Students and Associations with Body Composition and Metabolic Health: A Cross-Sectional Study

There is a paucity of data on whether Australian university students are meeting specific nutrient guidelines, and the relationship between diet and physical activity patterns with body composition and metabolic health. In this study, biomedical students from The University of Queensland were recruited (150 males and 211 females, 19–25 years), and nutritional intake (ASA24-Australia) and physical activity levels (Active Australia Survey) quantified. Body composition (height, waist circumference, body mass, BMI, and percentage body fat; BOD POD) and metabolic health (oral glucose tolerance test) were also measured. Median daily energy intake was 6760 kJ in females and 10,338 kJ in males, with more than 30% of total energy coming from energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods. Only 1 in 10 students met fruit or vegetable recommendations, with less than one third meeting recommendations for fibre, calcium, and potassium. Intakes of calcium and iron were particularly low among female students, with only 16% and 6% of students meeting the recommended dietary intake (RDI), respectively. The majority of males and almost half of all females exceeded the suggested dietary target (SDT) for sodium. Sufficient physical activity (≥150 min over ≥5 sessions per week) was met by more than 80% of students. Body composition and blood glucose concentrations were largely normal but an early sign of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR > 2.0), measured in a subset of students, was present in 21% of males and 17% of females. Modest reductions in blood glucose levels and percentage body fat were associated with increasing vigorous activity. Low intakes of fibre, calcium, and potassium could be corrected by increasing fruit, vegetable, and dairy intake, and, among females, health promotion messages focusing on iron-rich foods should be prioritised. While these nutrient deficiencies did not translate into immediate metabolic heath concerns, dietary behaviours can track into adulthood and have lasting effects on overall health.     

The Association between Body Mass Index and Intra-Cortical Myelin: Findings from the Human Connectome Project

Intra-cortical myelin is a myelinated part of the cerebral cortex that is responsible for the spread and synchronization of neuronal activity in the cortex. Recent animal studies have established a link between obesity and impaired oligodendrocyte maturation vis-à-vis cells that produce and maintain myelin; however, the association between obesity and intra-cortical myelination remains to be established. To investigate the effects of obesity on intra-cortical myelin in living humans, we employed a large, demographically well-characterized sample of healthy young adults drawn from the Human Connectome Project (n = 1066). Intra-cortical myelin was assessed using a novel T1-w/T2-w ratio method. Linear regression analysis was used to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI), an indicator of obesity, and intra-cortical myelination, adjusting for covariates of no interest. We observed BMI was related to lower intra-cortical myelination in regions previously identified to be involved in reward processing (i.e., medial orbitofrontal cortex, rostral anterior cingulate cortex), attention (i.e., visual cortex, inferior/middle temporal gyrus), and salience detection (i.e., insula, supramarginal gyrus) in response to viewing food cues (corrected p < 0.05). In addition, higher BMIs were associated with more intra-cortical myelination in regions associated with somatosensory processing (i.e., the somatosensory network) and inhibitory control (i.e., lateral inferior frontal gyrus, frontal pole). These findings were also replicated after controlling for key potential confounding factors including total intracranial volume, substance use, and fluid intelligence. Findings suggested that altered intra-cortical myelination may represent a novel microstructure-level substrate underlying prior abnormal obesity-related brain neural activity, and lays a foundation for future investigations designed to evaluate how living habits, such as dietary habit and physical activity, affect intra-cortical myelination.