Does Exercise Protect Against Emotional Eating Behaviors? A study of Adults Who Do and Don't Exercise Regularly

Abstract

The current research aims to examine the emotional eating behaviors of individuals who do and do not exercise in terms of gender variables. A total of 395 healthy individuals were reached from this population on a voluntary basis. A Personal Information Form and an Emotional Eating Behavior scale were used to collect the data for the study. Descriptive statistics, explanatory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and t -tests for independent samples were used for the analysis of the data. When the emotional eating behaviors of individuals who exercise regularly and those who don't exercise were compared, a statistically significant difference was found in the sub -dimensions of eating to cope with negative emotions (p < .03) and control versus stimulus (p < .03). When emotional eating behaviors were compared according to gender variable, emotional eating behaviors of women were found to be higher than men in terms of eating to cope with negative emotions, eating under tension, and emotional eating (p < .05). When emotional eating behaviors were examined between the women who exercised and those who didn't, the emotional eating behaviors of the women who did not exercise were found to be higher (p < .05). It has been observed that those who exercise regularly have a lower level of emotional eating behavior than those who do not exercise. Among the positive effects of regular exercise, it is thought to be an important behavioral intervention method in controlling and preventing emotional eating tendency, maintaining body weight balance, preventing and treating eating disorders, and preventing obesity.