Association between poor sleep quality and emotional eating in US Latinx adults and the mediating role of negative emotions

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Poor sleep quality is associated with negative emotions and may modulate emotional eating (EE). However, this has not been studied among US Latinx adults, a group experiencing sleep disparities.

Objective

To examine the association between sleep quality and EE in Latinx adults and explore the mediating role of negative emotions.

Methods

This cross-sectional analysis used data from the Latino Health and Well-being Study. Sleep quality was measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. EE was measured with the EE subscale of the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire R18-V2 (categorized as no EE, low EE, and high EE). Negative emotions were measured via a composite score that included depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. Poisson regression models with robust variance errors estimated prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Mediation was evaluated with the Karlsson-Holm-Breen method.

Results

More individuals with poor (vs. good) sleep quality experienced high EE (39.1% vs. 17.9%). Individuals with poor (vs. good) sleep quality were more likely to experience high EE vs. no EE (total effect = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.34, 2.26). Controlling for negative emotions, the effect of poor sleep on high EE was reduced to 1.23 (95% CI = 0.92, 1.65), leaving an indirect effect of 1.41 (95% CI = 1.25, 1.60); 62.6% of the effect was explained by negative emotions.

Conclusion

Poor sleep quality was associated with high EE in US Latinx adults and negative emotions partially mediated this relationship. Longitudinal studies are needed. Interventions and clinical programs should concomitantly address sleep quality and negative emotions to help prevent dysfunctional eating behaviors.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the city of Lawrence Mayor’s Health Task Force, Lawrence Senior Center, YWCA of Northeastern Massachusetts, Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School colleagues, students, and staff, who collaborated in this research.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Funding

Research reported in this manuscript was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (R01 MH085653). Drs. Lemon and Rosal received funding from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (5 P60 MD006912) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1 U48 DP005031). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.