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ERIC Number: EJ1472997
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0744-8481
EISSN: EISSN-1940-3208
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Effects of COVID-19-Related Anxiety on Overeating and Weight Gain in a Diverse College Sample
Stephanie Guzman1; Robert D. Melara1
Journal of American College Health, v73 n4 p1603-1611 2025
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has been linked with caloric overeating and weight gain. We employed a mediation analysis to determine whether pandemic-associated overeating was a direct effect of COVID-19-related anxiety (affect regulation theory) or mediated by a coping mechanism of escape eating (escape theory). A diverse pool of college students participated in a repeated cross-sectional study during three separate waves: May 2021 (wave 1, n = 349), December 2021 (wave 2, n = 253), and March 2022 (wave 3, n = 132). The results revealed a significant indirect effect of COVID-19-related anxiety on high-caloric overeating mediated by escape eating, but no direct path between COVID-19-related anxiety and caloric overeating. Analysis of racial/ethnic status uncovered significantly greater COVID-weight gain in Hispanic participants compared with White, Black, and Asian participants. Our results suggest that COVID-19 weight gain is a byproduct of a mediated escape mechanism differentially affecting racial/ethnic groups.
Taylor & Francis. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New York (New York)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1City College of New York, New York, New York, USA