Impulsivity is associated with food intake, snacking, and eating disorders in a general population

Abstract

Background Impulsivity is a psychological trait linked to health issues such as obesity. However, few studies have explored the relation between impulsivity, dietary intake, and eating disorders (EDs) in a general population. Objective The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess whether impulsivity was associated with energy intake, food-group consumption, snacking, and risk of EDs. Design In 2014, 51,368 adult participants from the NutriNet-Santé Study completed the 11th version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), which assesses impulsivity. Food-group consumption and diet quality were evaluated by using ≥3 self-reported 24-h dietary records (n = 35,830), whereas snacking behavior was evaluated by an ad hoc question (n = 48,562). Risk of EDs was assessed with the Sick-Control-One-Fat-Food Questionnaire (SCOFF), and categories of ED (restrictive, bulimic, hyperphagic, and other types of EDs) were determined with the Expali algorithm (n = 48,824). Logistic and linear regressions were used to analyze the associations between impulsivity and energy intake, food-group consumption, diet quality, snacking, and risk of EDs, taking into account sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Results Positive associations were found between impulsivity and consumption of alcoholic beverages and appetizers, whereas negative associations were found for fruit and vegetables, meat and poultry, processed meat, dairy products, milk-based desserts, and starchy foods. Impulsivity was positively associated with energy intake and negatively associated with diet quality. Impulsivity was also positively associated with snacking (OR: 3.32; 95% CI: 2.99, 3.68) and risk of EDs (OR: 3.02; 95% CI: 2.74, 3.33). The strongest associations were found for bulimic disorders (OR: 4.38; 95% CI: 3.66, 5.23) and hyperphagic disorders (OR: 2.91; 95% CI: 2.56, 3.31). Conclusion Impulsivity was associated with food intakes, snacking, and risk of EDs and could be taken into account in the promotion of healthy eating behavior. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03335644.

Optimism is associated with diet quality, food group consumption and snacking behavior in a general population

“…Many factors influence eating behavior, including psychological ones [5]. So far, the literature has largely focused on negative psychological characteristics associated with eating behavior such as emotional eating [6,7], cognitive restraint [8,9] or impulsivity [10,11]. However, more recently, research has started to focus on positive psychological traits that could have a beneficial impact on dietary behavior and nutritional status such as intuitive eating [12] or self esteem [13] .…”

Prevalence of Risk of Eating Disorders and its Association with Obesity and Fitness

“…The prevalence of risk of developing FEDs shows great variability worldwide [36]. Thus, in the general adult population, a recent study including more than 50 000 subjects from the NutriNet-Santè study in France found a prevalence of 14.1 % [37]; another Greek study including 1,865 young adults subjects reported a prevalence of risk of FEDs of 39.7 % [38]. In college students, the prevalence of risk of FEDs was 23.2 % in France [1], a FED prevalence of 9.4 % was found in an American follow-up survey [39], and 38.3 % of female Palestinian college students answered with two or more positive answers in the SCOFF questionnaire [40].…”

Associations between inattention and impulsivity ADHD symptoms and disordered eating risk in a community sample of young adults

“…In addition, the broader concept of 'trait' self-report impulsivity is also highly relevant in this context. For example, a recent, large cross-sectional population-based study reported that trait impulsivity on the Barratt impulsivity scale (BIS) was associated with disordered eating (Bénard et al, 2019). In a systematic review, there was evidence from a range of studies that eating disorders were associated with significantly elevated impulsivity on self-report questionnaires (such as BIS) compared to controls (Waxman, 2009).…”