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. 2022 Jul 12;10(1):100.
doi: 10.1186/s40337-022-00624-8.

Eating behaviors, eating styles and body mass index during COVID-19 confinement in a college sample: a predictive model

Tamara Escrivá-Martínez  1   2   3 , Marta Miragall  4   5 , Rocío Herrero  5   6 , Marta Rodríguez-Arias  7 , Rosa M Baños  4   8   5
Affiliations

Eating behaviors, eating styles and body mass index during COVID-19 confinement in a college sample: a predictive model

Tamara Escrivá-Martínez et al. J Eat Disord. .

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 confinement affected lifestyles. There is inconclusive evidence about changes in eating patterns, and there are few studies on the impact on body mass index (BMI), the occurrence of dysfunctional behaviors (binge eating, fat intake), and the predictive role of maladaptive eating styles (emotional, external, and restrained eating).

Objectives: (1) To analyze the differences in binge eating, fat intake, BMI, and maladaptive eating styles before and during COVID-19 confinement, and (2) to analyze whether maladaptive eating styles (before confinement) predicted binge eating, fat intake, and BMI during confinement.

Methods: The sample consisted of 146 Spanish college students, divided into 104 females (71.2%; age: M = 22.20, SD = 2.97) and 42 males (28.8%; age: M = 24.74; SD = 3.53). All completed several dietary measures and BMI twice: before COVID-19 confinement (T1, November 2019) and during COVID-19 confinement (T2, April 2020).

Results: BMI and maladaptive eating styles did not change in T2 (vs. T1). However, binge eating and fat intake decreased in T2. Emotional eating at T1 positively predicted BMI and binge eating at T2. External eating at T1 positively (and marginally) predicted fat intake at T2. Restrained eating at T1 positively predicted binge eating at T2, and negatively (and marginally) predicted BMI and fat intake at T2. The model explained 80.5% of the variance in BMI, 41.5% of the variance in binge eating, and 25.8% of the variance in fat intake during COVID-19 confinement.

Conclusions: The COVID-19 confinement had a positive impact on some eating behaviors. Future policies should focus part of their prevention on maladaptive eating styles to curb dysfunctional eating behaviors and BMI problems in times of stress.

Keywords: Binge eating; Body mass index; COVID-19 confinement; Dysfunctional eating behaviors; Fat intake; Maladaptive eating styles.

Plain language summary

The COVID-19 confinement affected the lifestyles of the young population, especially eating behaviors. It is not yet known whether eating problems, such as binge eating and high fat intake, changed during this period in the young people. It is also not known whether the young population perceived changes in their BMI during COVID-19 confinement. In addition, eating styles (emotional eating, restrictive eating, and external eating) may be predictors of this change. The present study found that binge eating and fat intake decreased in COVID-19 confinement, and BMI and eating styles remained stable. Eating styles predicted change in these eating problems (binge eating and fat intake) and change in BMI during this period of elevated stress. Therefore, eating styles may help to understand dietary changes during times of high stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Figures

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Theoretical proposed model
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