The Association of Perceived Vulnerability to Disease with Cognitive Restraint and Compensatory Behaviors.

Individual differences exist in perceived vulnerability to disease (PVD). PVD is associated with negative responses (e.g., disgust) towards individuals with obesity and heightened sensitivity regarding personal appearance. Through increasing fear of fat (FOF), PVD may be associated with cognitive restraint and compensatory behaviors. We utilized an adult sample (n = 247; 53.3% male sex assigned at birth) recruited through Amazon's MTurk prior to the COVID-19 pandemic to investigate associations between PVD, cognitive restraint and compensatory behaviors. Participants completed the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Scale, Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale, Dutch Eating Behaviors Questionnaire, and Goldfarb's Fear of Fat Scale. Mediation analyses were used to test our hypotheses. Perceived infectability (PVD-Infection) was associated with cognitive restraint and compensatory behaviors through increased FOF. Perceived germ aversion (PVD-Germ) was associated with cognitive restraint, but FOF did not mediate this association. Sex-stratified analyses revealed no significant sex differences. PVD may be an overlooked factor associated with cognitive restraint and compensatory behaviors in males and females. FOF was an important mediating factor in these associations. Increased engagement in cognitive restraint and compensatory behaviors may reflect attempts to reduce FOF. Future longitudinal research should explore whether PVD is a risk factor for cognitive restraint and compensatory behaviors.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on disordered eating symptoms in women: A 49-day, daily study before and during the outbreak in the United States.

Longitudinal data are needed to examine effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on disordered eating. We capitalized on an ongoing, longitudinal study collecting daily data to examine changes in disordered eating symptoms in women across 49 days that spanned the time before and during the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. Women from the Michigan State University Twin Registry (N = 402) completed daily questionnaires assessing a range of symptoms (e.g., binge eating, weight/shape concerns, liking/wanting of palatable food (PF) and whole foods, hunger). Dates of the first US COVID-19 case, first case in each participant's state, and onset of the initial stay-at-home orders (SHOs) were used to categorize women into those who completed all daily assessments prior to, during, or after these dates. We used mixed linear models and specification-curve analysis to examine between-person (i.e., differences between women assessed before vs during/after COVID-19) and within-person (i.e., changes in symptoms from days before to days after the dates) effects of the pandemic. Results showed significantly higher levels of binge-related pathology (e.g., odds of binge eating, liking/wanting of PF) in women who completed assessments during/after COVID-19 events, and significantly increased liking/wanting of PF in the days following the pandemic onset. By contrast, minimal between- or within-person differences were observed for other variables, including weight/shape concerns, compensatory behaviors, hunger, or liking/wanting whole foods. Overall, results suggest a specific effect of the pandemic on binge-related phenotypes in women. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Food insecurity and ultra-processed food consumption: the modifying role of participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

BACKGROUND: Ultra-processed foods contribute to risks of obesity and cardiometabolic disease, and higher intakes have been observed in low-income populations in the United States. Consumption of ultra-processed foods may be particularly higher among individuals experiencing food insecurity and participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). OBJECTIVES: Using data from the 2007-2016 NHANES, we examined the associations between food insecurity, SNAP participation, and ultra-processed food consumption. METHODS: The study population comprised 9190 adults, aged 20-65 y, with incomes ≤300% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Food insecurity was assessed using the Household Food Security Survey Module and SNAP participation over the past 12 mo was self-reported. Dietary intake was measured from two 24-h dietary recalls. Ultra-processed food consumption (percentage of total energy intake) was defined using the NOVA food classification system. Linear regression models were used to examine the associations between food insecurity, SNAP participation, and ultra-processed food consumption, adjusting for sociodemographic and health characteristics. RESULTS: More severe food insecurity was associated with higher intakes of ultra-processed foods (P-trend = 0.003). The adjusted means of ultra-processed food intake ranged from 52.6% for adults with high food security to 55.7% for adults with very low food security. SNAP participation was also associated with higher intakes of ultra-processed foods (adjusted mean: 54.7%), compared with income-eligible participants (adjusted mean: 53.0%). Furthermore, the association between food insecurity and ultra-processed foods was modified by SNAP participation (P-interaction = 0.02). Among income-eligible nonparticipants and income-ineligible nonparticipants, more severe food insecurity was associated with higher consumption of ultra-processed foods. Among SNAP participants, the association between food insecurity and consumption of ultra-processed foods was nonsignificant. CONCLUSION: In a nationally representative sample of adults, food insecurity and SNAP participation were both associated with higher levels of ultra-processed food consumption.

Restaurant dining during the COVID-19 pandemic among adults with low-income in the United States.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread non-essential business closures in the U.S., which may have disproportionately impacted food consumption in lower-income communities, in part due to reduced access to healthy and affordable foods, as well as occupations that may have required working outside the home. The aims of this study were to examine restaurant dining behaviors (including drive-through, takeout, and delivery) at fast-food and non-fast-food (i.e., fast casual and full-service ['other']) restaurants and the impact on diet quality among racially/ethnically diverse low-income adults during the early months of the pandemic. Participants completed an online survey using CloudResearch regarding restaurant dining behaviors in the past week (during June 2020) and during a typical week prior to the pandemic. Diet quality was measured using the Prime Diet Quality Score (PDQS). Surveys from 1,756 low-income adults (incomes <250% of the Federal Poverty Level) were analyzed using chi-squared tests to examine differences in demographic characteristics among those dining at restaurants during the pandemic, as well as to examine differences in dining frequency compared with prior to COVID-19. Negative binomial regressions were used to examine the mean frequency of eating food from fast-food and other restaurants, adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics. This study found reductions in fast-food and other restaurant dining compared with prior to COVID-19, although overall restaurant consumption remained high with over half of participants reporting fast-food consumption in the week prior (average consumption of twice per week). Greater fast-food consumption was associated with poorer diet quality. In conclusion, while fast-food consumption was slightly lower during the pandemic, the overall high levels observed among socioeconomically disadvantaged adults remains concerning, highlighting the continued need for initiatives and policies to encourage greater access to and consumption of affordable and healthier foods.

Health-promoting behaviors in the United States during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The potential negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on health-compromising behaviors including overeating, processed food intake, and alcohol use have been well documented. However, it is possible the COVID-19 pandemic has had positive effects on some health-promoting behaviors like cooking and fruit and vegetable intake. The current study was a preregistered secondary data analysis using data from a U.S. national, crowdsourced study (n = 868) on eating behaviors during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objectives of the current study were to compare levels of cooking, fruit and vegetable intake, and physical activity among U.S. adults during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic to pre-pandemic levels in reference groups of U.S. adults, and test whether subjective stress from the pandemic was associated with health-promoting behaviors by obesity status. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, participants cooked more often and ate 0.23 more cups of fruits and vegetables per day, but 28.8% fewer participants met federal physical activity guidelines. Greater COVID-19 stress was minimally to moderately associated with greater cooking, fruit and vegetable intake, and physical activity. The positive association between COVID-19 stress and fruit and vegetable intake was stronger for individuals with obesity. The COVID-19 pandemic might have encouraged U.S. adults, especially those at risk for complications, to engage in some health-promoting behaviors while creating barriers for other behaviors.

COVID-19 stress and eating and drinking behaviors in the United States during the early stages of the pandemic.

The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has created widespread stress. Since many people cope with stress by eating, the current study investigated whether eating behaviors shifted among U.S. adults after the emergence of the pandemic. Data from national, crowdsourced surveys conducted on March 31st, 2020 and February 13th, 2019 were compared. Average levels of eating to cope and food addiction symptoms did not appear to shift during the early stages of the pandemic; however, U.S. adults ate about 14% more added sugars. Moreover, greater stress in response to the pandemic was associated with greater eating to cope, added sugars intake, food addiction symptoms, drinking to cope, and drinking frequency. These associations differed by the presence of state-level stay-at-home orders, perceived vulnerability to disease, age, U.S. political party affiliation, and gender. Although eating behaviors did not appear to majorly shift during the early stages of the pandemic, stress from the pandemic may intensify some maladaptive coping tendencies among U.S. adults.