Identifying Loss of Control Eating within Childhood Obesity: The Importance of Family Environment and Child Psychological Distress

Children

AnaRosa Sepúlveda¹  Miriam Blanco¹  Tatiana Lacruz¹  Alba Moreno¹  Lucía Beltrán¹  Santos Solano¹  Marta Rojo¹  Montserrat Graell² 

[1] Department of Biological and Health Psychology, School of Psychology, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain;Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, University Hospital Niño Jesús, 28009 Madrid, Spain;

关键词: childhood obesity;    eating disorders;    loss of control eating;    expressed emotion;    family;   

DOI  :  10.3390/children7110225

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

This study aims to examine the differences in family environment, psychological distress, and disordered eating symptomatology between children classified by weight status with or without loss of control (LOC) eating and to test a model of the role of emotional regulation of LOC eating based on a dysfunctional family environment. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 239 families. The assessment measured family expressed emotion, family adaptability and cohesion, child levels of depression and anxiety, body esteem, and disordered eating attitudes. The assessment was carried out in primary care centers and primary schools. Child body mass index (BMI) was associated with higher expressed emotion, psychological distress, and disordered eating symptomatology. Children with obesity and LOC presented higher BMI, poorer body esteem, and more disordered eating attitudes than children without LOC. Children with overweight/obesity, both with or without LOC, exhibited higher psychological distress and emotional overinvolvement than normal-weight children. A partial mediation of depression or anxiety and disordered eating attitudes between expressed emotion and LOC was found. Findings support that children with overweight/obesity show more family and psychological distress. Body esteem issues and disordered eating attitudes could alert the presence of LOC in children with obesity. The function of LOC might be to cope with psychological distress that may appear in a dysfunctional family environment.

【 授权许可】

Unknown