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Exploring exercise, emotional eating, and body dissatisfaction in depression risk: Using structural equation modeling
Zhimin Yi1, Mingtao Chen1, Renzhao Huang1
1School of Public Health and Health Management, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, China.
Plos One
|May 9, 2025
Summary
Body dissatisfaction in Chinese college students significantly impacts physical activity and emotional eating, contributing to depression. Reducing body dissatisfaction and emotional eating may help prevent depression.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Body dissatisfaction is a growing concern among college students.
- Understanding the interplay between body image, physical activity, eating behaviors, and mental health is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mediating roles of physical activity and eating behavior in the relationship between body dissatisfaction and depression.
- To explore these relationships in a sample of Chinese undergraduate students.
Main Methods:
- Structural equation modeling was employed.
- Data were collected from 1,714 undergraduate students in Southern China.
Main Results:
- Exercise significantly mediated the link between body mass index and depression (30% of total effect).
- Exercise also mediated the relationship between body dissatisfaction and emotional eating (19.8% of total effect).
- Emotional eating behavior mediated the association between exercise and depression.
Conclusions:
- Body dissatisfaction influences physical inactivity and emotional eating in Chinese university students.
- Interventions targeting body dissatisfaction and emotional eating may be effective in depression prevention strategies.
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