From socioeconomic disadvantage to obesity: The mediating role of psychological distress and emotional eating
Journal article
Spinosa, Jade, Christiansen, Paul, Dickson, Joanne M., Lorenzetti, Valentina and Hardman, Charlotte A.. (2019). From socioeconomic disadvantage to obesity: The mediating role of psychological distress and emotional eating. Obesity. 27(4), pp. 559 - 564. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22402
Authors | Spinosa, Jade, Christiansen, Paul, Dickson, Joanne M., Lorenzetti, Valentina and Hardman, Charlotte A. |
---|---|
Abstract | Objective Lower socioeconomic status is robustly associated with obesity; however, the underpinning psychological mechanisms remain unclear. The current study sought to determine whether the relationship between lower socioeconomic status and obesity is explained by psychological distress and subsequent emotional eating as a coping strategy. It also examined whether psychological resilience plays a protective role in this pathway. Methods Participants (N = 150) from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds completed questionnaire measures of psychological distress, emotional eating, and resilience. They reported their income and education level as an indicator of socioeconomic status and their height and weight in order to calculate BMI. Results There was a significant indirect effect of socioeconomic status on BMI via psychological distress and emotional eating; specifically, lower socioeconomic status was associated with higher distress, higher distress was associated with higher emotional eating, and higher emotional eating was associated with higher BMI (b [SE] = −0.02 [0.01]; 95% CI: −0.04 to −0.01). However, resilience was not a significant moderator of this association. Conclusions Psychological distress and subsequent emotional eating represent a serial pathway that links lower socioeconomic status with obesity. Targeting these maladaptive coping behaviors may be one strategy to reduce obesity in low‐income populations. |
Year | 2019 |
Journal | Obesity |
Journal citation | 27 (4), pp. 559 - 564 |
Publisher | Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc. |
ISSN | 1930-7381 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22402 |
Scopus EID | 2-s2.0-85063323082 |
Open access | Open access |
Page range | 559 - 564 |
Publisher's version | License |
Place of publication | United States of America |
https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8916v/from-socioeconomic-disadvantage-to-obesity-the-mediating-role-of-psychological-distress-and-emotional-eating
Download files
Publisher's version
OA_Spinosa_2019_From_socioeconomic_disadvantage_to_obesity_the.pdf | |
License: CC BY-NC 4.0 |
126
total views104
total downloads1
views this month0
downloads this month