Emotional Eating and Diet-related Self-Efficacy, Motivation, and Norms in Adolescents

Abstract

The objective of the current study was to examine the association between emotional eating and self- efficacy, motivation, and social norms for consumption of fruits and vegetables (F/V) and energy-dense, nutrient-poor (EDNP) foods and beverages, as well as interactions with body mass index-z score (BMI-z). Adolescents completed self-report measures of demographics, emotional eating, and dietary health behavior theory constructs. Emotional eating was associated with lower self-efficacy for consumption of F/V and for limiting EDNP foods/beverages; greater motivation for limiting of EDNP foods/beverages; lower social norms for consumption of F/V; and greater social norms for consumption of EDNP foods/ beverages. There were no interactions with BMI-z. Evidence-based nutrition programs that leverage health behavior theories should be tailored to adolescents’ emotional eating.

Keywords

• emotional eating
• diet
• health behavior theory
• self-efficacy
• norms