Psychology Commons^™

From Socioeconomic Disadvantage To Obesity: The Mediating Role Of Psychological Distress And Emotional Eating, Jade Spinosa, Paul Christiansen, Joanne M. Dickson, Valentina Lorenzetti, Charlotte A. Hardman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective: Lower socioeconomic status is robustly associated with obesity; however, the underpinning psychological mechanisms remain unclear. The current study sought to determine whether the relationship between lower socioeconomic status and obesity is explained by psychological distress and subsequent emotional eating as a coping strategy. It also examined whether psychological resilience plays a protective role in this pathway. Methods: Participants (N = 150) from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds completed questionnaire measures of psychological distress, emotional eating, and resilience. They reported their income and education level as an indicator of socioeconomic status and their height and weight in order to calculate …