The causal associations between interoception, self-regulation, non-purposeful eating behaviors, and weight status in college women: a longitudinal cross-lagged model analysis.

AIMS: Excessive weight gain has led to increased obesity and mortality risk among college students. Issues with maintaining a healthy weight may be attributed to poor internal awareness and unhealthy eating behaviors. The study's purpose was to determine the longitudinal effects among interoception, self-regulation, nonpurposeful eating behaviors, and weight status (BMI) among college women. METHODS: Data from 103 females were collected via Qualtrics over 3 timepoints (T1, T2, T3) during an academic semester. Repeated measures ANOVA and cross-lagged model analyses were used. Significant changes were found in interoceptive responsiveness, external, and uncontrolled eating throughout 3 timepoints. RESULTS: Longitudinally, significant causal effects were found among the study measures. Among all models, higher interoceptive responsiveness (T1) predicted increased self-regulation (T2). Higher non-purposeful eating behaviors (T1) predicted reduced self-regulation (T2). Higher BMI (T1) predicted reduced non-purposeful eating behaviors (T2), however higher BMI (T2) predicted increased non-purposeful eating (T3) and reduced interoceptive responsiveness (T3). Significant causal effects were found within each non-purposeful eating behavior models. CONCLUSION: Overall, the research study provided foundational evidence of the importance of self-regulatory skills to help prevent unhealthy eating behaviors and increased weight status in college women. Future interventions educating college women to become more internally aware and better self-regulate are needed.

Interoception and self-regulation of eating behaviors and weight status in college students.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the associations between interoception, self-regulation, eating behaviors, and weight status among college students. PARTICIPANTS: 229 female undergraduates, predominantly classified as Juniors (51.1%) and identified as Hispanic/Latinx (75%) with a mean age of 23.4 (SD = 6.3), were examined. METHODS: Cross-sectional data using baseline measures from a larger, longitudinal study, were examined. Confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling were conducted to test hypotheses. RESULTS: Interoception was directly associated to self-regulation. Interoception and self-regulation were inversely associated with non-purposeful eating. Non-purposeful eating was directly associated with weight status. CONCLUSION: This study provided empirical evidence on the associations between interoception, self-regulation, eating behaviors, and weight status. Our results support the need for programs that target college students' cognitive skills to reduce unhealthy eating behaviors and optimize weight status. Future interventions are needed to enhance interoception and self-regulation skills so that college students can be more purposeful in their eating habits.

Life Satisfaction and Emerging Health Behaviors in Underserved Adolescents: A Narrative Review.

Objectives: Obesity rates continue to rise in underserved adolescents. Obesity is linked to poor mental health outcomes. The purpose of this narrative review is to examine existing literature on life satisfaction and obesity-related emerging health behaviors (sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, sleeping patterns, and screen time) in underserved adolescents. Methods: We conducted a review of articles published in English between January 1995 and November 2021 to develop a narrative summary. Results: In general, few studies have been conducted investigating life satisfaction and the emerging behaviors of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, sleeping patterns, and screen time use with adolescents, especially underserved adolescents. In the studies reviewed, we noted links between lower life satisfaction and more than once-a-day sugar consumption, including sugar-sweetened beverages, lower life satisfaction and lower sleep duration, and life satisfaction and screen-time, with both positive and negative relationships shown. Conclusions: Given the limitations in the number of studies, recommendations are provided for future research.

Health for Hearts United Longitudinal Trial: Improving Dietary Behaviors in Older African Americans.

INTRODUCTION: Church-based interventions have been shown to improve the dietary health of underserved populations, yet few studies have examined sustainability of health behavior change over time. This paper examines dietary outcomes over a 24-month period (baseline and 6, 18, and 24 months) for fruit and vegetable and fat consumption behaviors of African-American participants in the Health for Hearts United church-based intervention in North Florida. STUDY DESIGN: This quasi-experimental, longitudinal trial was conducted from 2009 to 2012. Data were analyzed in 2018. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Six churches in a 2-county area (3 treatment, 3 comparison) were selected for the study using community-based participatory research approaches. Participants were African-American adults (aged ≥45 years; n=211 at baseline) randomly selected from the churches, stratified by age and sex. INTERVENTION: Health for Hearts United intervention was developed by the 3 treatment churches. The 18-month intervention was implemented in 3 6-month phases, framed around 3 conceptual components, which included 4 types of programs and 4 key messages. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Fruit and vegetable consumption was assessed using a single item (fruit and vegetable intake) and the National Cancer Institute Fruit and Vegetable Screener. Fat consumption was determined using a single item (fat intake) and the National Cancer Institute Fat Screener. Background characteristics included age, sex, educational level, and marital status. RESULTS: Significant time effects only were found for daily fruit and vegetable intake (p<0.001), fat intake (p<0.001), and the Fat Screener (p<0.001) with dietary improvements in both treatment and comparison groups across the intervention phases. Fruit and Vegetable Screener results showed that time (p<0.001) and the interaction between time and treatment (p<0.01) were significant, with increases in fruit and vegetable consumption over time for both the treatment and comparison groups and with the increase differing between groups. Post hoc analysis revealed that the treatment group had greater increases in fruit and vegetable consumption than the comparison group between Phases 1 and 3 (p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Dietary behaviors of mid-life and older African Americans can be improved and sustained over 24 months using a church-based heart health intervention, with similar improvements noted for both comparison and treatment participants. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.govNCT03339050.

The Breast-Cancer Education and Wellness (BE Well) Intervention: Congregants' Intended Participation, Actual Participation, and Perceived Health Outcomes.

Objective. To evaluate a health leader-focused church-based breast cancer prevention intervention in relation to congregants' intended participation, congregants' actual participation, and perceived health outcomes at both individual and church levels using socio-ecological and theory of planned behavior frameworks. Method. Participants for the study were African American adults (n = 52) from six churches in a North Florida county involved in implementing the 9-month, three-phase intervention. Using a pre/post without comparison group design, data were collected via self-administered surveys and analyzed using qualitative and quantitative (descriptive, analysis of variance, linear regression) procedures. Results. There was general alignment between congregants' intended and actual participation when analyzed by content, especially in the areas of food and nutrition and health education. Regarding the number of intended versus actual activities, there was a significant, negative change in physical activity, a slight decline in health education activities, but a slight increase in food and nutrition activities. No significant relationships were found between extent of participation and the individual health outcomes (health ratings, health status), but significant relationships were found between extent of participation and church health outcomes (perceived role of church in improving health, p < .001; perceived role of the pastor in improving health, p < .001). Conclusions. The findings demonstrate that (1) congregants may follow through and participate in church-based health activities in which they express interest and that are made available and (2) the extent of their participation may be influenced by the perceived role of both the church and the pastor in improving their health.