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The present study sought to extend our understanding of food insecurity among college students, including aims to replicate the high prevalence of food insecurity among college student samples, examine the food insecurity – emotional eating association, and determine whether biological sex moderates this association. Participants included 232 students (82.3% female; 83.2% Caucasian) enrolled at a U.S. university. Participants completed the Household Food Security Survey Module: Short Form and Emotional Eating Scale as part of a larger study. Of the participants, 37.5% reported food insecurity. Food insecurity was positively associated with emotional eating (B = 1.35, 95% CI[0.24, 2.48]), controlling for body mass index (BMI). The association was stronger for males (95% CI[1.07, 6.54]) than females (95% CI[-0.29, 2.07]). College students, particularly males, who experience food insecurity may be at greater risk for emotional eating. Future research should investigate risk factors linked to both food insecurity and emotional eating among college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Over the past two decades, there has been a steady increase in research focused on the association between weight-based stigma and mental health outcomes in children and adolescents. The present study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of the associations between weight stigma and mental health in youth.Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, PsychInfo, and Embase databases was conducted in January 2020. Inclusion criteria included the following: (a) examined an association between weight stigma and a mental health outcome, (b) mean sample age <18 (+1 standard deviation) years, (c) written in English, and (d) peer reviewed. Forty eligible articles were identified. The moderating effects of age, sex (percent female), weight status (percent with overweight/obesity), and study quality were examined.Results: Overall, meta-analytic findings using a random-effects model indicated a statistically significant moderate association between weight stigma and poorer mental health outcomes (r = .32, 95% confidence interval [0.292, 0.347], p < .001). Age and study quality each moderated the association between weight stigma and mental health. Generally, the study quality was fair to poor, with many studies lacking validated measurement of weight stigma.Conclusions: Although there was a significant association between weight stigma and mental health in youth, study quality hinders the current body of literature. Furthermore, findings highlight the lack of consideration of internalized weight stigma in child populations, the importance of using validated measures of weight stigma, and the need for increased awareness of how these associations affect populations of diverse backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined associations between COVID-19-related negative impact and parental distress and aspects of the home food environment. Parents (N= 189) of children ages 7–17 completed an online survey assessing COVID-19-related impact and distress, household meals, feeding practices, and weight concern. Results suggested an inverse association between impact and distress and structured meals and positive associations with both restrictive feeding practices and weight concern. Food insecurity significantly moderated the association between impact and structured meals and remains a necessary target for intervention. Future research should explore factors that may mitigate the impact of COVID-19-related distress on the home food environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Binge eating is prevalent across socioeconomic status (SES) groups, but it is unclear whether risk factors for binge eating vary by SES. This study examined the prevalence of several risk factors for binge eating by SES and SES as a potential moderator of these risk factors. Method: Participants included 2,179 individuals involved in Project EAT during early/middle adolescence (EAT‐I) and 5 years later during late adolescence/emerging adulthood (EAT‐II). Risk ratios were computed using modified Poisson regression of incident EAT‐II binge eating on EAT‐I risk factors among participants of high and low SES. Interactions between each risk factor and SES were tested. Results: Among higher SES adolescents, overweight/obesity (RR = 3.2; 95% CI: 1.8, 5.7), body dissatisfaction (RR = 2.6; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.2, 5.5), dieting (RR = 4.0; 95% CI: 2.0, 8.2), and family weight‐teasing (RR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.3, 4.3) predicted increased risk for binge eating. Among adolescents from low‐SES backgrounds, overweight/obesity (RR = 1.5; 95% CI: 0.9, 2.5), dieting (RR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.2, 3.9), and food insecurity (RR = 1.4; 95% CI: 0.7, 2.7) predicted increased risk for binge eating. Moderator analyses revealed that overweight/obesity, body dissatisfaction, dieting, and family weight‐teasing were stronger risk factors in the high‐SES group than the low‐SES group; interactions with food insecurity could not be examined given the low prevalence of food insecurity in the high‐SES group. Discussion: Risk factors for binge eating may vary by SES, suggesting the potential utility of modifying intervention and prevention methods based on SES. In particular, the role of food insecurity must be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]