The associations among psychological distress, stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic, and disinhibited eating of parents of three-to five-year-old children

Individuals' psychological distress is associated with disinhibited eating (external and emotional eating). The aim of the current study was to examine the moderating associations of COVID-19-related stress on parents' psychological distress (anxiety, hostility, depression) and external and emotional eating. One hundred and sixty U.S. parents of three-to five-year-old children (M-age = 34.08, SD = 6.76; 89 females) completed an online survey. After accounting for participant characteristics (i.e., age, BMI, sex), regression analyses showed that COVID-19 stress moderated the effects of anxiety, hostility, and depression on external eating. Additionally, findings showed that COVID-19 stress moderated hostility (but not anxiety or depression) on emotional eating. These findings suggest that unexpected stressors from the COVID-19 pandemic may exacerbate disinhibited eating among those individuals who experience psychological distress. This presents support for providing interventions that focus on healthy coping strategies and family well-being, support groups, and community resources (e.g., financial assistance) to alleviate external pressures during unprecedented times.