Do COVID-19-Related Stress, Being Overweight, and Body Dissatisfaction Contribute to More Disordered Eating in Polish Women?—A Cluster Analysis Approach

Kamila Czepczor-Bernat, Justyna Modrzejewska, Adriana Modrzejewska and Paweł Matusik
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Kamila Czepczor-Bernat: Institute of Psychology, University of Wrocław, 50-527 Wrocław, Poland
Justyna Modrzejewska: Institute of Pedagogy, University of Bielsko-Biala, 43-309 Bielsko-Biala, Poland
Adriana Modrzejewska: Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-055 Katowice, Poland
Paweł Matusik: Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Obesity and Metabolic Bone Diseases, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 24, 1-10

Abstract: We hypothesized that women who are overweight, experiencing COVID-19-related stress, and with high body dissatisfaction would have significantly greater disordered eating than those of healthy weight, without stress, and with low body dissatisfaction. Participants ( N = 1354 women; M age = 31.89 years, SD = 11.14) filled in the Contour Drawing Rating Scale, the Emotional Overeating Questionnaire, the Eating Motivation Survey, the Mindful Eating Questionnaire, and a COVID-19-related stress measure and sociodemographic survey. The cluster analysis technique revealed four distinct clusters: (a) Cluster 1 ( N = 314): healthy body weight, no COVID-related stress, and low body dissatisfaction ( M = 1.19); (b) Cluster 2 ( N = 131): overweight, no COVID-related stress, and high body dissatisfaction ( M = 2.41); (c) Cluster 3 ( N = 597): healthy body weight, COVID-related stress, and low body dissatisfaction ( M = 1.27); (d) Cluster 4 ( N = 312): overweight, COVID-related stress, and high body dissatisfaction ( M = 2.84). Generally, our outcomes partially support our hypothesis, as higher levels of some types of disordered eating were observed in women who were overweight with COVID-related stress and high body dissatisfaction (Cluster 4) as compared with women with healthy body weight, no COVID-related stress, and with low levels of body dissatisfaction (Cluster 1). Our results indicate that both body weight status, as well as COVID-19-related stress and body dissatisfaction, may contribute to the intensity of disordered eating. During future epidemic-related quarantines, this may be an argument in favor of organizing support regarding emotional functioning, body image, and eating behaviors, particularly for the most vulnerable groups—including overweight and obese women.

Keywords: COVID-19-related stress; overweight; body dissatisfaction; disordered eating; women (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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