Emotional Eating in Relation to Worries and Psychological Distress Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Population-Based Survey on Adults in Norway

Mitra Bemanian, Silje Mæland, Rune Blomhoff, Åsgeir Kjetland Rabben, Erik Kristoffer Arnesen, Jens Christoffer Skogen and Lars Thore Fadnes
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Mitra Bemanian: Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
Silje Mæland: Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
Rune Blomhoff: Department of Nutrition, Institute of basic medical sciences, University of Oslo, 0317 Oslo, Norway
Åsgeir Kjetland Rabben: Section for Strategy and Analysis, Bergen municipality, 5020 Bergen, Norway
Erik Kristoffer Arnesen: Department of Nutrition, Institute of basic medical sciences, University of Oslo, 0317 Oslo, Norway
Jens Christoffer Skogen: Department of Health Promotion, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 5015 Bergen, Norway
Lars Thore Fadnes: Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 18, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Population-based studies have revealed a high occurrence of self-reported psychological distress symptoms during the early phases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Stress and negative affect can lead to emotional eating, which in turn can have negative outcomes on health. In this population-based study, 24,968 Norwegian inhabitants participated in an electronic questionnaire including structured questions on dietary habits, emotional eating, psychological distress symptoms, and COVID-19-related worries. The study took place during April 2020 after around six weeks of interventions to tackle the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, emotional eating was reported in 54% of the population and was markedly more frequent in female participants. Worries related to consequences of the pandemic were associated with increased emotional eating, and the association was stronger for worries related to personal economy—odds ratios (OR) 1.7 (95% confidence interval (CI95%) 1.5–1.9)—compared to worries related to health—OR 1.3 (CI95% 1.2–1.5). Psychological distress had a strong association with emotional eating—OR 4.2 (CI95% 3.9–4.4). Correspondingly, the intake of high-sugar foods and beverages was higher for those with substantial COVID-19-related worries and those with psychological distress compared to the overall population.

Keywords: mental health; feeding behavior; comfort eating; sugar-sweetened beverages; dietary sugars (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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