Eating behaviour patterns and BMI in Portuguese higher education students

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Poínhos, Rui (Author) FCNAUP; Oliveira, Bruno (Author) FCNAUP; Correia, Flora (Author) FCNAUP

Journal

Title: Appetite

Vol. 71

Pages: 314-320

ISSN: 0195-6663

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 15 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 16 Citations

Pubmed / Medline

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Health sciences

CORDIS: Health sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-008-EH8

DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2013.08.024

Abstract (EN): Our aim was to determine prototypical patterns of eating behaviour among Portuguese higher education students, and to relate these patterns with BMI. Data from 280 higher education students (63.2% females) aged between 18 and 27 years were analysed. Several eating behaviour dimensions (emotional and external eating, flexible and rigid restraint, binge eating, and eating self-efficacy) were assessed, and eating styles were derived through cluster analysis. BMI for current, desired and maximum self-reported weights and the differences between desired and current BMI and between maximum and current BMI were calculated. Women scored higher in emotional eating and restraint, whereas men showed higher eating self-efficacy. Men had higher current, desired and maximum BMI. Cluster analysis showed three eating styles in both male and female subsamples: "Overeating", "High self-efficacy" and "High restraint". High self-efficacy women showed lower BMI values than the others, and restrictive women had higher lost BMI. High self-efficacy men showed lower desired BMI than overeaters, and lower maximum and lost BMI than highly restrictive ones. Restrictive women and men differ on important eating behaviour features, which may be the cause of differences in the associations with BMI. Eating self-efficacy seems to be a central variable influencing the relationships between other eating behaviour dimensions and BMI.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

Notes: <a href="http://gateway.isiknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Alerting&SrcApp=Alerting&DestApp=WOS&DestLinkType=FullRecord&KeyUT=:000328868500038">Indexado na ISI Web of Science</a>

No. of pages: 7