Cognitive restraint, emotional eating and uncontrolled eating: Exploring factors associated with the cycle of behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The objective of this study was to analyze the factors associated with Cognitive Restraint, Emotional Eating, and Uncontrolled Eating behaviors with perceptions of life habits, body image, eating habits, and food consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sociodemographic data, eating behavior, perceptions about life and eating habits, body image, and food consumption were collected. Factors associated with each of the three eating behaviors were accessed through three multiple linear regressions controlled for age, sex, BMI, education level, and monthly income. Cognitive restraint was associated with being active during the pandemic (ß = 5.85), attempted weight loss (ß = 11.89), perception of overweight (ß = 9.10), better eating habits in the pandemic (ß = 6.55), and decreased consumption of refined cereals (ß = 5.60) and fast foods (ß = 8.23). Emotional eating was associated with increased stress during the pandemic (ß = 7.10), worse sleep (ß = 4.74), body dissatisfaction (ß = 4.85), perception of overweight (ß = 7.45), attempted weight loss (ß = 4.19), increase in the amount of food consumed (ß = 9.34), increased food delivery purchase (ß = 5.13), increase in consumption of sweets and desserts (ß = 7.17) and reduction in consumption of vegetables (ß=- 5.26). Uncontrolled eating was associated with working>8 h/day (ß = 4.04), increased stress during the pandemic (ß = 3.65), body dissatisfaction (ß = 6.59), worse eating habits in the pandemic (ß = 5.21), and an increase in the amount of food consumed (ß = 8.73). Cognitive restraint behavior was associated with healthy life habits and negative body image variables. In contrast, emotional eating and uncontrolled eating were associated with negative body image and unhealthy eating habits.

Is Physical Activity Protective against Emotional Eating Associated Factors during the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Cross-Sectional Study among Physically Active and Inactive Adults.

Physical activity levels during the COVID-19 pandemic have been decreasing and this may be a risk factor for development of emotional eating and its associated factors. The aim of the study was to analyze the factors associated with emotional eating among individuals with different physical activity levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data relating to the pandemic on physical activity, emotional eating, sociodemographic data, perceptions about lifestyle habits, body satisfaction, and perceptions about eating habits and food consumption were collected. Factors associated with emotional eating in the group of active and inactive individuals were observed using multiple linear regression controlled for age, sex, BMI, and monthly income. Emotional eating for the active group was associated with perceived stress, body dissatisfaction, and increased consumption of sweets and desserts. In addition to these factors found among the active group, working or studying >8 h/day, sleep worsening, increased amount of food consumed, increased purchase of food through delivery, and increased vegetable consumption were also associated with emotional eating for the inactive group. These findings suggest a potential protective role of physical activity in the appearance of factors associated with emotional eating during the COVID-19 pandemic.