Level V, descriptive study.

SummaryAims: The present study aimed to examine construct validity of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18 (TFEQ-R18) and to investigate variables of the following phenomena: cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating and emotional eating in normal weight women and women with obesity. Methods:The research sample comprised 237 participants (200 with normal weight and 37 obese); the TFEQ-R18 was distributed to all participants at the same time. Results:We found that the three-factor structure is invariant at each level -configural, metric, scalar and strict. Individuals with obesity scored significantly higher than individuals within normal weight range in uncontrolled eating (p = 0.005) and emotional eating (p = 0.053). Conclusions:Ambiguities between the results of the current and other studies may be explained in terms of controlling the shared variance and measurement error, since only up to date summarized scores were compared across groups. uncontrolled eating, cognitive restraint, emotional eating, normal weight, obesity

The aim of the current study was to examine the moderating effect of mindful eating on the relationship between emotional functioning and eating styles in overweight and obese women. Methods One hundred and eighty four overweight and obese adult women (BMI 30.12 ± 3.77 kg/m 2) were assessed with the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire and the Mindful Eating Scale. Results Mindful eating significantly moderated several of the relationships between emotional functioning and eating styles. At all levels of mindful eating, emotion dysregulation and negative affect are both associated with greater emotional eating, but with stronger associations for high levels of mindful eating. For people low in mindful eating, both emotion dysregulation and negative affect are associated with lower restrictive eating, and neither of them are associated with uncontrolled eating. For people high in mindful eating, neither emotion dysregulation nor negative affect are associated with restrictive eating, and only negative affect is associated with greater uncontrolled eating. Conclusion When mindful eating techniques are included as part of an intervention for overweight or obese individuals, it is even more important that those interventions should also include techniques to reduce emotion dysregulation and negative affect. Level of evidence Level V, descriptive study.

The aims of this study were twofold: (1) to investigate the effectiveness of web-based psychoeducation for emotional functioning, eating behaviors, and body image among premenopausal women with excess body weight, and (2) to compare the efficacy of two types of web-based psychoeducation. Three hundred individuals were asked to volunteer in the present study. All participants were recruited in Poland from September 2017 to July 2019. Finally, a total of 129 premenopausal women took part in the research and signed informed consent. Their ages ranged between 18 and 48 years old (M = 32.28, SD = 7.65). Self-reported weight and height were recorded. BMI was calculated using self-reported data. Their average body mass index was 30.54 kg/m2 (SD = 3.69). In our randomized experiment, the participants were allocated into three groups: experimental group I (EG I, N = 43), experimental group II (EG II, N = 46), and wait list control group (CG, N = 40). Five questionnaires were included in the online survey at the baseline measurement (Day 0), at the end of psychoeducational intervention (Day 16) and 75 days from the start of the 15-day intervention (Day 76). Measurement tools included the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, the Mindful Eating Scale, the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, and the Body Attitude Test. Our eHealth web-based psychoeducation consisted of three modules: emotional functioning module (EG I: theoretically consistent approach (TCA) vs EG II: eclectic approach; EA), eating behaviors module (EG I, EG II: based on mindfulness-based eating training; MET), body image module (EG I, EG II: based on Cash’s prevention of body image disturbances; CPBID). The first experimental group (EG I) had intervention containing TCA, MET, and CPBID, while the second experimental group (EG II) EA, MET, and CPBID. According to between-group comparison, both types of web-based psychoeducation led to an increase in adaptive emotion regulation (Day 16: EG I vs CG: p < 0.001, EG II vs CG: p < 0.001; Day 76: EG I vs CG: p < 0.01, EG II vs CG: p < 0.001). In EG I, the intervention resulted in a higher reduction (than in CG) in emotional eating (Day 16: p < 0.01, Day 76: p < 0.01), uncontrolled eating (Day 16: p < 0.05, Day 76: p < 0.05), and negative appreciation of body size (Day 16: p < 0.01, Day 76: p < 0.01). In EG II, a lower level of emotional eating was found on Day 76 (EG II vs CG: p < 0.05). Two months after completion of the 15-day intervention, no statistically significant reduction for BMI was observed in either experimental group (p > 0.05). The effectiveness of both types of web-based psychoeducation was also confirmed in within-group comparison (Day 0 vs Day 16 and Day 0 vs Day 76). There was a significant increase in emotion regulation and mindful eating, as well as a decrease in emotional eating, uncontrolled eating, negative appreciation of body size, lack of familiarity with one’s body, and the experiencing of negative emotions in both experimental groups (EG I, EG II). Both types of web-based psychoeducation might have to be considered in creating future web-based psychoeducation among premenopausal women with excess body weight.

Objectives: Parental burnout is a prevalent condition that affects parents' functioning and health. While various protective factors have been examined, little is known about their interplay. In the current study, we examined the joint effect of two protective factors against parental burnout

To limit the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), many countries have introduced mandated lockdown or social distancing measures. Although these measures may be successful against COVID-19 transmission, the pandemic and attendant restrictions are a source of chronic and severe stress and anxiety which may contribute to the emergence or worsening of symptoms of eating disorders and the development of negative body image. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to: (1) classify different conditions associated with COVID-19-related stress, COVID-19-related anxiety, and weight status; and (2) analyze and compare the severity of dimensions typically related to eating disorders symptomatology and body image in individuals with different COVID-19-related stress, COVID-19-related anxiety, and weight status. Polish women (N = 671, Mage = 32.50 ± 11.38) completed measures of COVID-19-related stress and anxiety along with body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and bulimia symptomatology subscales of the Eating Disorders Inventory, and the appearance evaluation, overweight preoccupation, and body areas satisfaction subscales of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire. The following four clusters were identified through cluster analysis: (a) Cluster 1 (N = 269), healthy body weight and low COVID-related stress (M = 3.06) and anxiety (M = 2.96); (b) Cluster 2 (N = 154), healthy body weight and high COVID-related stress (M = 5.43) and anxiety (M = 5.29); (c) Cluster 3 (N = 127), excess body weight and high COVID-related stress (M = 5.23) and anxiety (M = 5.35); (d) Cluster 4 (N = 121), excess body weight and low COVID-related stress (M = 2.69) and anxiety (M = 2.83). Our results showed that Clusters 3 and 4 had significantly greater body dissatisfaction and lower appearance evaluation and body areas satisfaction than Clusters 1 and 2. Cluster 3 also had a significantly higher level of drive for thinness, bulimia, and overweight preoccupation than Clusters 1 and 2. These preliminary findings may mean that the COVID-19 pandemic and attendant anxiety and stress caused by the pandemic are exacerbating symptoms of eating disorders and negative body image, with women with excess weight particularly at risk.

There is limited evidence of a link between Orthorexia Nervosa (ON) and Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and no definitive conclusions can be drawn. The interplay between socio-cultural context and ON has been poorly investigated as well. Therefore, the objectives of the present study were: (1) to investigate the differences in ON and OCD symptoms and (2) to assess the relationship between ON and OCD symptoms among university students. Six hundred and sixty-six university students participated in the present study: 286 from Poland and 320 from Italy. No age, gender and marital status differences were identified between two samples of university students. However, on average, Polish university students had a higher Body Mass Index than Italian ones. Our findings showed that Polish students present more problems related to obsessive symptomatology, core beliefs of OCD, perfectionism traits, and a major ON symptomatology than Italian ones. Also, Polish students with a higher level of ON exhibited higher levels of OCD symptoms and parental expectations/parental criticism. While Italian students with a higher level of ON showed higher levels of perfectionism features (organization and concern over mistakes). In general, correlations were low as confirmation of partial independence ON from OCD symptoms and core beliefs of OCD in both Polish and Italian university students. The present results highlight a need for further investigation of the correlates of ON across different cultural groups. Future research may screen individuals with ON to determine the comorbidity between ON and OCD symptomology to facilitate appropriate treatment choices. Level of evidence Level V, Opinions of respected authorities, based on descriptive studies, narrative reviews, clinical experience, or reports of expert committees.

BackgroundEmotional eating is a factor associated with a negative body image and other problematic eating behaviours. In this context little is known about differences between individuals with overweight and obesity and those with normal body weight. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the role of emotional eating in the relationship between the desire to consume chocolate and the wish to avoid social situations related to food and body exposures. For this purpose, we tested the direct, indirect and buffer effects. In addition, we used moderated mediation by introducing snacking into the model.MethodsThe study included 123 outpatients with excessive body weight and 123 individuals with normal weight. The mean of body mass index (BMI) in the first group was 30.19 kg/m2 (SD = 4.37) and, in the second, it was 23.02 kg/m2 (SD = 1.20). The Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, the Attitudes to Chocolate Questionnaire and the Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire were used.ResultsResults show that in all individuals, the greater emotional eating is, the greater the desire for chocolate consumption and avoidance of social situations related to food and body exposures are. In addition, the desire for chocolate consumption are positively associated with avoidance of social situations related to food and body exposures in both group. Among individuals with excessive and normal body weight, emotional eating is a significant mediator in the relationship between desire for chocolate consumption and avoidance of social situations related to food and body exposures. However, it does not moderate the relationship between these variables. Outcomes show that there is a significant model of moderated mediation of the link between social situation–avoidance related to food and body exposure and the desire to consume chocolate through emotional eating, moderated by snacking among individuals with normal body weight. A similar effect has not been discovered in the group with excessive body weight.ConclusionThe presented results show that among people with varied BMI categories, emotional eating is connected to craving chocolate and avoidance of social situations related to food and body exposure that plays only the role of mediation. In addition, snacking is crucial for this relationship among the group with normal body weight.