The behavioral pathway model to overweight and obesity: coping strategies, eating behaviors and body mass index
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
The behavioral pathway model to overweight and obesity: coping strategies, eating behaviors and body mass index Carmen Varela1 · Ana Andrés2 · Carmina Saldaña1 Received: 12 March 2019 / Accepted: 24 July 2019 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019
Abstract Purpose Obese and overweight people deal with more daily problems and stressful situations than normal-weight individuals, for example, discrimination and bias. The aims of the present study were twofold: to identify differences between overweight and normal-weight people in coping strategies and eating behaviors, and to examine the relationship between coping strategies, eating behaviors and BMI. Methods Sample of the present study consisted of 473 participants, 76.7% women (mean age = 32.7; SD = 11.4). Participants completed an ad hoc sociodemographic data questionnaire, the Coping Strategies Inventory, and the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Welch’s t test and X2 comparison analysis were used to identify differences in coping strategies and eating behaviors, according two BMI groups, normal weight and overweight. To analyze the relationship between coping strategies, eating behaviors and BMI, a structural equation modeling was conducted. Results Overweight participants score significantly higher in passive coping strategies such as self-criticism, wishful thinking and social withdrawal, and unhealthy eating behaviors such as emotional eating and restrained eating. Structural equation modeling included these variables, coping strategies are more likely to conduct to unhealthy eating behaviors and these are more likely to promote and maintain a high BMI. The model showed an adequate data fit. Conclusions This research proposes a relationship between the variables analyzed. It has been proved that passive coping strategies predict a high BMI via unhealthy eating behaviors, especially emotional eating. These results are promising to improve the current prevention obesity programs and weight control treatments. Level of evidence Level III, case–control analytic study. Keywords Obesity · Overweight · Coping strategies · Eating behaviors · Structural equation modeling
Introduction Obesity is a public health major problem; its prevalence has nearly tripled since 1975 [1]. Research suggests that overweight and obesity are often comorbid with physical diseases such as diabetes or cancer [2], and demonstrate that
* Carmen Varela [email protected] 1
Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, Campus Mundet, Passeig Vall d’Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Faculty of Psychology, Education Sciences and Sport, University Ramon Llull, Cister Street, 34, 08022 Barcelona, Spain
2
psychological problems, such as depression or anxiety, present a bidirectional link with obesity [3, 4]. Weight stigma and bias are daily stressors for overweight and obesity people [5], and have shown a relevant association with psychological problems [4, 5] and unhealthy eating behaviors [6, 7].
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