Effects of psychological eating behaviour domains on the asscoiation between socio-economic status and BMI

Einleitung:

This study investigates potential pathways from socio-economic status (SES) to body mass index (BMI) in the adult population, considering psychological domains of eating behaviour (restrained eating, uncontrolled eating, emotional eating) as potential mediators stratified for sex.

Material & Methoden:

We studied 5,935 participants aged 18 to 79 years. Data were derived from the population-based cross-sectional Leipzig LIFE-Adult-Study. Parallel mediation models were conducted to obtain the total, direct and indirect effects of psychological eating behaviour domains on the association between SES and BMI for men and for women.

Ergebnisse:

Uncontrolled eating mediated the association between SES and BMI in men only and restrained eating in both men and women. Emotional eating did not act as mediator in this relationship. The total effect of eating behaviour domains on the association between SES and BMI was estimated at Beta =-0.03 (SE = 0.02; 95%CI [-0.062;-0.003]) in men and at Beta =-0.18 (SE = 0.02; 95%CI [-0.217; -0.138]) in women.

Diskussion:

Our findings do not indicate a strong overall mediation effect of the eating behaviour domains restrained eating, uncontrolled eating and emotional eating on the association between SES and BMI. Further research on other pathways of this association is strongly recommended.

Schlussfolgerung:

Our findings indicate that, alternative coping strategies particularly for emotional eater might be generally a useful approach in order to avoid weight gain because of its SES-independent impact on BMI.