title: Physical activity as a moderator of the association between emotional eating and BMI: evidence from the Swiss Food Panel.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Research has demonstrated that emotional eating (eating induced by negative affect or distress) is associated with overconsumption and weight gain. This study tests whether recreational physical activity attenuates the relationship between emotional eating and body weight.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analyses are based on the second (2011) and third (2012) wave of the Swiss Food Panel, an ongoing longitudinal survey of the eating and activity behaviour of the Swiss population. Data from 3425 participants (47% males) with a mean age of 56 years (SD = 14) were analysed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Body mass index, health consciousness and food consumption (vegetables/fruits and sweet, high-fat foods).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analyses revealed an independent interaction effect of emotional eating and recreational physical activity, over and above other predictors of Body Mass Index (BMI). Compared to their low-active counterparts, highly active emotional eaters had a lower BMI and consumed more vegetables and fruits. No difference was found for sweet, high-fat foods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that emotional eaters who are also highly active may still feel the urge to eat when under emotional distress; however, they also choose more healthy foods to cope with this distress. Increasing physical activity could be a promising intervention strategy in preventing weight gain in emotional eaters.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , University of Cologne , Cologne , Germany.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dohle
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Keller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004435:Eating / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland
keywords: body weight; eating styles; emotional eating; physical activity