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

Abstract

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 (β = 5.85), attempted weight loss (β = 11.89), perception of overweight (β = 9.10), better eating habits in the pandemic (β = 6.55), and decreased consumption of refined cereals (β = 5.60) and fast foods (β = 8.23). Emotional eating was associated with increased stress during the pandemic (β = 7.10), worse sleep (β = 4.74), body dissatisfaction (β = 4.85), perception of overweight (β = 7.45), attempted weight loss (β = 4.19), increase in the amount of food consumed (β = 9.34), increased food delivery purchase (β = 5.13), increase in consumption of sweets and desserts (β = 7.17) and reduction in consumption of vegetables (β=- 5.26). Uncontrolled eating was associated with working>8 h/day (β = 4.04), increased stress during the pandemic (β = 3.65), body dissatisfaction (β = 6.59), worse eating habits in the pandemic (β = 5.21), and an increase in the amount of food consumed (β = 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.

Keywords: Body image; COVID-19; Eating behavior; Eating habits.