TY - JOUR
T1 - Severity of Binge Eating Behavior among Overweight College Students in Taiwan and Associated Factors
AU - Yan, Huey Yeu
AU - Liu, Chieh Yu
AU - Tseng, Mei Chih Meg
AU - Lee, Tzu Ying
AU - Mu, Pei Fan
AU - Lin, Hung Ru
N1 - Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The authors have received the research funding from Gujarat Council on Science and Technology, Gujarat, India to carryout research. However, No other financial support for the authorship and/or publication of this article.
Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge the Gujarat Council on Science and Technology (GUJCOST), Government of Gujarat for the funding (Project-No. GUJCOST/STI/2020-21/2254) of the project and Keepsake Welding Research & Skill Development Centre of Excellence for the technical support for the project. L.D.College of Engineering, Ahmedabad for utilising the research infrastructures; and Director of Technical Education department, Government of Gujarat for motivation and encouragement to carry out research in this project.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/1/24
Y1 - 2023/1/24
N2 - Background: Binge eating (BE) is considered a marker of obesity and overweight and a significant characteristic of feeding and eating disorders. Despite the high prevalence of obesity on college campuses, the issue of BE among college students in Taiwan has received little attention. The aim of this study was to investigate BE behavior among overweight college students in Taiwan and associated factors. Methods: This study utilized a cross-sectional survey. A total of 300 overweight college students were recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a self-administered Binge Eating Scale (BES) and a body weight composition monitor (Model No. OMRON, HBF-126) and analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. Results: The average BES score was 10.67 (SD = 6.66, 0–34). With a BES score of 17 as the cut-off point, 17.3% (n = 52) of the participants were found to have moderate or severe BE behavior. Analysis of the demographic and psychosocial data using Spearman’s rho rank correlation coefficient revealed that sex, body mass index (BMI), uncontrolled eating, weight loss diets, academic stress, peer competition, interpersonal distress, and unpleasant or major life events were significantly correlated with BE behavior and its probability (rs = −0.14–0.15, p < 0.05). Furthermore, logistic regression analysis indicated that the odds ratio of the BES scores of female participants and those who stated to have experienced uncontrolled eating, weight loss diets, peer competition, and interpersonal distress was 1.05–6.04 times those of male participants and those without such experiences (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The study found that nearly one-fifth of participants presented moderate to severe levels of BE behaviors, and these were significantly correlated with sex and external environmental stress. This study suggests early intervention from campus psychological health personnel to provide proper therapy.
AB - Background: Binge eating (BE) is considered a marker of obesity and overweight and a significant characteristic of feeding and eating disorders. Despite the high prevalence of obesity on college campuses, the issue of BE among college students in Taiwan has received little attention. The aim of this study was to investigate BE behavior among overweight college students in Taiwan and associated factors. Methods: This study utilized a cross-sectional survey. A total of 300 overweight college students were recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a self-administered Binge Eating Scale (BES) and a body weight composition monitor (Model No. OMRON, HBF-126) and analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. Results: The average BES score was 10.67 (SD = 6.66, 0–34). With a BES score of 17 as the cut-off point, 17.3% (n = 52) of the participants were found to have moderate or severe BE behavior. Analysis of the demographic and psychosocial data using Spearman’s rho rank correlation coefficient revealed that sex, body mass index (BMI), uncontrolled eating, weight loss diets, academic stress, peer competition, interpersonal distress, and unpleasant or major life events were significantly correlated with BE behavior and its probability (rs = −0.14–0.15, p < 0.05). Furthermore, logistic regression analysis indicated that the odds ratio of the BES scores of female participants and those who stated to have experienced uncontrolled eating, weight loss diets, peer competition, and interpersonal distress was 1.05–6.04 times those of male participants and those without such experiences (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The study found that nearly one-fifth of participants presented moderate to severe levels of BE behaviors, and these were significantly correlated with sex and external environmental stress. This study suggests early intervention from campus psychological health personnel to provide proper therapy.
KW - binge eating
KW - college students
KW - obesity
KW - overweight
KW - severity
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U2 - 10.3390/healthcare11030338
DO - 10.3390/healthcare11030338
M3 - Article
C2 - 36766913
AN - SCOPUS:85147800484
SN - 2227-9032
VL - 11
JO - Healthcare (Switzerland)
JF - Healthcare (Switzerland)
IS - 3
M1 - 338
ER -
