Personality, eating behaviour, and body weight: results from the population study of women in Gothenburg 2016/17
摘要
The aim was to investigate the cross-sectional associations between personality traits, psychogenic needs and eating behaviour, and to describe the extent to which personality influences the association between eating behaviour and weight status.
MethodsIn 2016/17, a population-based sample of 573 women in Gothenburg, Sweden aged either 38 or 50 participated in a health examination. They completed the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, measuring uncontrolled eating, emotional eating and cognitive restraint on a scale of zero to 100. Scores higher than 50 defined excessive eating behaviour. The Cesarec-Marke Personality Schedule was used to measure psychogenic needs, characterised by pursuits and objectives that define personality and influence actions. Extraversion and neuroticism were assessed using the Eysenck-Personality Inventory. Regression models for excessive eating behaviour and for logarithmic body mass index (BMI) as a function of standardised personality scores were adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle and health factors.
ResultsA higher need to defend one’s status (DST) was positively associated with excessive uncontrolled eating, odds ratio (OR) = 1.44, 95% confidence interval = (1.11, 1.86) per standard deviation (SD) of DST. The need to defend one’s status was more strongly associated with excessive emotional eating, OR = 1.61 (1.18, 2.20) than neuroticism, OR = 1.45 (1.06, 1.97), in a mutually adjusted model. Needs for achievement and autonomy were associated with excessive cognitive restraint, OR = 1.39 (1.09, 1.76) and 0.78 (0.62, 0.97), respectively. Excessive emotional eating was associated with 5.3 (1.1, 9.6) % higher values of BMI when adjusted for the need of DST, which was associated with −2.7 (−4.1, −1.3) % lower BMI per SD.
ConclusionsPsychogenic needs were more closely associated with eating behaviour than personality traits. A lower need to defend one’s status and excessive emotional eating were independently associated with higher BMI, suggesting different pathways to obesity and treatment strategies.