Affect, Disordered Eating Attitudes and Behaviors, and Orthorexia Nervosa Among Women: Mediation Through Intuitive Eating

Abstract

Intuitive eating is an adaptive eating style that could help explain part of the relation between affect and eating behaviors. However, research in this area remains limited. The objectives of this study are twofold. First, we examine the relation between affect, disordered eating attitudes and behaviors (DEABs), and orthorexia nervosa (ON). Second, we investigate the mediating role of intuitive eating regarding these relations. A sample of 197 French-speaking Canadian women, aged from 18 to 69, participated in the study. The results showed that negative affect was related to DEABs and ON, but not positive affect. Statistically significant associations were also found between affect (negative and positive) and the four dimensions of intuitive eating. Additionally, negative relations were found between intuitive eating dimensions and most types of eating behaviors (encompassing DEABs and ON), except for dieting. Finally, our results revealed that the relations between affect (positive and negative) and most types of eating behaviors were indirect (i.e., suggesting mediation) via intuitive eating. Based on these results, it seems that interventions addressing affect regulation and eating behaviors could benefit from including a focus on intuitive eating.

Keywords: affect; body mass index; disordered eating attitudes and behaviors; intuitive eating; orthorexia nervosa.

Figure 1

Illustration of the hypothesized fully and partially mediated models, including body mass index as a control variable. Notes: PA = positive affect; NA = negative affect; UPE = unconditional permission to eat; EPR = eating for physical rather than emotional reasons; RHSC = reliance on hunger and satiety cues; BFC = body–food choice congruence; DIET = dieting; BFP = bulimia food preoccupation; OC = oral control; ON = orthorexia nervosa. The full arrows reflect a fully mediated model. Partial mediation will be tested by including the paths depicted by the dashed arrows. Finally, the association between body mass index and the mediators and outcomes will be tested by contrasting the models, including comparing the dotted arrows with models wherein these paths are constrained to zero.

Figure 2

Unstandardized and standardized parameter estimates in the fully mediated model, excluding body mass index as a control variable. Notes: * p ≤ 0.05; ** p ≤ 0.01; b = unstandardized parameter; SE = standard error; PA = positive affect; NA = negative affect; UPE = unconditional permission to eat; EPR = eating for physical rather than emotional reasons; RHSC = reliance on hunger and satiety cues; BFC = body–food choice congruence; DIET = dieting; BFP = bulimia food preoccupation; OC = oral control; ON = orthorexia nervosa. Only statistically significant paths are presented in the figure. Covariances between latent variables are not presented, but are available upon request from the corresponding author.