Beyond emotion: online takeaway food consumption is associated with emotional overeating among Chinese college students.

BACKGROUND: Online takeaway food has become very popular in China. However, the potential effects of online takeaway food consumption on eating behaviours among individuals during the transition stage from adolescence to young adulthood have not yet been assessed. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the effects of takeaway food consumption on emotional overeating behaviour among college students. METHODS: Data were collected from 1450 college students from six universities in Anhui, China. The frequency of emotional overeating during the past 4 weeks was assessed by the emotional overeating questionnaire (EOQ). Data on the frequency of online takeaway food consumption and other potential risk factors at the individual, interpersonal, physical environment, and macro-system levels were assessed by questionnaire. Multilevel linear regression analyses were employed to explore the association between takeaway food consumption and emotional overeating behaviour. RESULTS: Compared to those who consumed online takeaway food less than 1 day per week, participants who consumed this food 4-5 days per week and participants who consumed this food 6-7 days per week had significantly higher EOQ scores (ß = 0.14, p < 0.05 and ß = 0.67, p < 0.001, respectively). More frequent consumption was associated with higher EOQ scores (p for trend < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A higher frequency of takeaway food consumption was associated with an elevated risk of emotional overeating among college students independent of personal emotional status and other potential confounders at the interpersonal, physical environmental and macro-system levels. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V; cross-sectional descriptive study.

The association between weight fluctuation and all-cause mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Many observational studies have reported an association between weight fluctuation and all-cause mortality. However, the conclusions obtained from these studies have been unclear. OBJECTIVE: The current meta-analysis aimed to clarify the association between weight fluctuation and all-cause mortality. DATA SOURCE: We electronically searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for articles reporting an association between weight fluctuation and all-cause mortality that were published before April 30, 2018. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: The methodological quality of each study was appraised using the modified Newcastle Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. The hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted from the included studies and pooled using random-effect models. Meta-regression approaches were also performed to explore sources of between-study heterogeneity. RESULTS: A total of 15 studies were eligible for the current meta-analysis. The pooled overall HR for all-cause mortality in the group with the greatest weight fluctuations compared with the most stable weight category was 1.45 (95% CI: 1.29-1.63). Considerable between-study heterogeneity was observed, some of which was partially explained by the different follow-up durations used by the included studies. Moreover, publication bias that inflated the risk of all-cause mortality was detected using Egger's test (P = .001). CONCLUSION: Weight fluctuation might be associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality.