Food Addiction and its Association with BMI, Stress and Emotional Eating in a Group of Students at Al –Quds University

Abstract

Background: Food addiction is a behavioral addiction that is characterized by the compulsive consumption of palatable foods (e.g., high fat and high sugar), which markedly activate the reward system in humans despite adverse consequences. The goal of this study is to assess the Food addiction and its association with BMI, stress and emotional eating in a group of students at Al-Quds University. Goal: The goal of this study is to assess the Food addiction and it's association with BMI, stress and emotional eating in a group of students at Al-Quds University. Objectives: To investigate the relationship between food addiction and both stress and emotional eating in a group of students at Al-Quds University. To assess the association between BMI and each of food addiction, stress and emotional eating in a group of students at Al-Quds University. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study that included 472 students (343 females and 129 males) aged 18-25 years at Al-Quds University. A set of questionnaires were used (general questionnaires,Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) version 2.0, Emotional Eating Questionnaire (EEQ) and Stress Questionnaire). In addition, weight scale and stadiometer (In Body BSM370, bio space, Korean) for anthropometric measurement (weight, height and BMI). Results: Food addiction was found to be significantly associated with body mass index, stress and emotional eating. When there is food addiction, it will affect the body mass index. No significant association between stress and BMI was found. There is a significant association between stress and emotional eating.

Conclusion: People who are most prone to stress tend to be addicted to food. Also, those who eat emotionally tend to have an addiction to food. Moreover, people who are overweight or obese tend to have a food addiction.