Food related emotions between normal- weight and overweight adolescents in Mashhad: an education and care urgency

The incidence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents is increasing. obesity and overweight in adolescence have several effects on health, So they have become a matter of urgency for children and parents. This study aimed to compare the food-related emotions between normal weight and overweight adolescents in Mashhad.
In this descriptive-comparative study, a sample of 253 male and female students of Mashhad secondary schools were selected by cluster sampling and their body mass index was calculated. To determine eating behaviors, the Dutch eating behavior questionnaire was used. Participants were then asked to rate their feelings in relation to 24 food images on a 5-point scale in 10 words. Data were analyzed using SPSS Ver. 16 software.
The severity of positive emotions towards harmful foods in adolescents with overweight was higher than those with normal weight (P=0.046) and the severity of negative emotions towards useful foods in overweight adolescents were more than normal-weight adolescents (P=0.048). Also, the severity of the relationship between eating emotions and eating behaviors was different in the gender groups. The greatest association was found between external stimulation for eating and eating behaviors in overweight male adolescents and the greatest association was noticed between eating emotions and eating behaviors in overweight female (r=0.74, P=0.048) and male(r=0.66, P=0.041) adolescents.
Study showed that overweight adolescents had more positive emotions to harmful foods and more negative emotions to useful foods.