Uncontrolled Eating as an Addictive-Like Behavioral Pattern among Peruvian University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study
Author(s): Dayana del Carmen Rojas Sanz, Onix Tamo Flores and Jose Calizaya-Lopez*
Abstract
Background: Uncontrolled eating is characterized by the difficulty in regulating intake in the face of hunger and the loss of control over intake has taken interest in its study as an addictive behavioral pattern, specifically in young people exposed to academic demands and sociocultural pressures.
Objective: To analyze uncontrolled, emotional, and cognitively restricted eating according to sociodemographic variables in Peruvian university students.
Methods: The study used a quantitative, non-experimental crosssectional design, involving 2086 intentionally selected students, including students from the areas of social sciences, health sciences, and sciences and engineering. For the measurement of eating behavior, the Three Factor Eating -21 scale was applied, in addition, non-parametric tests were considered since the data did not present normal distribution.
Results: The overall risk score of eating behavior reached a mean of 51.3 points (SD=7.13). Likewise, uncontrolled eating obtained the highest average of the study dimensions. Statistically significant differences were found according to sex, marital status, academic area, and daily water consumption. However, no differences were found by occupation, daily frequency of food consumption, or age.
Conclusions: Uncontrolled eating is a relevant dimension to understand the difficulties of regulating intake in university students. The loss of control allows us to analyze this behavior from an addictive behavioral framework, because they share indicators such as desire, response to food signals and repetition of intake.
