Associations between objective physical activity and emotional eating among adiposity-discordant siblings using ecological momentary assessment and accelerometers

Authors: SMITH, KATHRYN - University Of Southern California; O'CONNOR, SHANNON - University Of Chicago; MASON, TYLER - University Of Southern California; WANG, SHIRLENE - University Of Southern California; DZUBUR, ELDIN - Livongo Health; CROSBY, ROSS - University Of North Dakota; WONDERLICH, STEPHEN - University Of North Dakota; SALVY, SARAH-JEANNE - Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; FEDA, DENISE - University At Buffalo; Roemmich, James

Submitted to: Pediatric Obesity
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/7/2020
Publication Date: 2/8/2021
Citation: Smith, K.E., O'Connor, S., Mason, T.B., Wang, S., Dzubur, E., Crosby, R.D., Wonderlich, S.A., Salvy, S., Feda, D.M., Roemmich, J.N. 2021. Associations between objective physical activity and emotional eating among adiposity-discordant siblings using ecological momentary assessment and accelerometers. Pediatric Obesity. 16. Article 12720. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12720.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12720

Interpretive Summary: Eating when emotionally stressed is associated with weight gain in adults, though less is known regarding the factors that cause such emotional eating episodes in youth. In collaborative work with scientists at several Universities, ARS scientists in Grand Forks, ND investigated whether the amount of physical activity 60 minutes prior to psychological stress predicted stress-related eating and positive emotional eating, and whether children with greater adiposity responded differently to eating after stress. Greater physical activity was correlated with lower stress-related eating across the sample. Lower activity was associated with greater stress-related eating, but only for youth with greater adiposity. Greater activity was correlated with lower positive emotional eating for youth with lower adiposity. These findings suggest that prior physical activity may affect emotional eating. Lower physical activity was associated with more stress-related eating among youth with greater adiposity, yet greater activity was associated with lower positive emotional eating among youth with lower adiposity.

Technical Abstract: Background: Emotional eating is associated with obesity, though less is known regarding factors that predict emotional eating episodes in children and adolescents. Objectives: To investigate whether moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) or total activity counts 60 minutes prior to psychological stress predicted stress-related eating and positive emotional eating, and whether adiposity (z-BMI) moderated these associations. Methods: Participants were drawn from a prior study of siblings (N=77; mean age=15.4±1.4 years) discordant for weight status (39 non-overweight siblings, 38 siblings with overweight/obesity) who completed an ecological momentary assessment protocol with accelerometer-based assessment of physical activity. Results: Greater MVPA was correlated with lower stress-related eating across the sample. Lower total activity (between-person effects) and lower MVPA (within-person effects) were associated with greater stress-related eating for siblings with greater zBMI. Greater total activity was correlated with lower positive emotional eating for siblings with lower z-BMI (between- and within-person). Conclusions: Findings demonstrate potential regulating effects of prior physical activity on emotional eating at the individual and momentary level, though there are nuances depending on z-BMI. Lower physical activity was associated with more stress-related eating among youth with greater z-BMI, yet greater activity was associated with lower positive emotional eating among youth with lower z-BMI.