Diet and eating behaviour of university youth in the context of body fat and muscle mass
Diet and eating behaviour of university youth
Keywords:
diet, lifestyle, eating behavior, college youth, emerging adulthoodAbstract
Purpose: The aim of the study conducted among students from Poland was to examine the relationship between nutritional
behaviors from a psychological perspective (emotional eating, habitual eating, dietary restrictions) and preferred diet
(healthy vs. unhealthy), in relation to selected anthropometric variables – body fat and muscle mass.
Methods: A total of 202 participants took part in the study. Including 103 women (age 21.44 ±2.14 years, stature 167.91
±6.13 cm, body mass 62.08 ±12.11 kg) and 99 men (age 21.48±1.93 years, stature 179.12±7.11 cm, body mass 77.31±15.32
kg). The study used: 1) Eating Behaviour Questionnaire to measure the psychological attitude of an individual towards food
and the functions it performs for them, 2) KOMPAN Questionnaire to verify eating habits and choices, 3) the medical scale
to measure body mass, the stadiometer to measure stature and to assess the percentage of body fat. In addition, metric data
were collected.
Results: Statistical analyses showed that psychologically understood eating behaviors were associated with the percentage
of body fat - the higher the intensity of emotional eating, the higher the percentage of body fat (R= .382; P< .001) and the
lower the percentage of muscle in total body mass (R=- .202; P< .01). Women in the studied sample showed a higher intensity
of emotional eating compared to men (Mwomen 5.06±2.16 a.u.; Mmen 3.44±2.26 a.u.; U=2992.50; P< .001).
Conclusions: The significance of eating behavior in psychological terms for the proportion of body fat in body composition
was confirmed. The increase in the intensity of emotional eating increases the proportion of body fat and decreases the
proportion of muscle tissue in total body weight.