Screen use while eating is associated with lower intuitive eating and higher disordered eating in Chinese adult men and women

Jinbo He; Yuru Fu; Shuqi Cui; Wesley R Barnhart; Xinyi Zhang; Jiayi Han; Yitong Wang; Kyle T Ganson; Jason M Nagata

doi:10.1002/eat.24026

Screen use while eating is associated with lower intuitive eating and higher disordered eating in Chinese adult men and women

Int J Eat Disord. 2023 Oct;56(10):1961-1972. doi: 10.1002/eat.24026. Epub 2023 Jul 25.

Authors

Jinbo He¹, Yuru Fu¹, Shuqi Cui¹, Wesley R Barnhart², Xinyi Zhang^{1

3}, Jiayi Han¹, Yitong Wang⁴, Kyle T Ganson⁵, Jason M Nagata⁶

Affiliations

¹ Division of Applied Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
² Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, USA.
³ Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
⁴ School of Economics and Management, Yan'an University, Yan'an, Shaanxi, China.
⁵ Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
⁶ Division of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.

PMID: 37489116
DOI: 10.1002/eat.24026

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to explore the potential associations between screen use while eating and intuitive eating and disordered (thinness-oriented and muscularity-oriented) eating behaviors.

Methods: Analyses included 600 Chinese adults (50% women; M_age = 30.67, SD = 8.08) recruited online. The use of four major screen devices was captured, including cell phones, tablets, computers, and TVs. Three types of eating behaviors were examined, namely intuitive eating, thinness-oriented disordered eating, and muscularity-oriented disordered eating. Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted separately for men and women to examine the sex-specific associations between screen use while eating and intuitive eating, thinness-oriented disordered eating, and muscularity-oriented disordered eating.

Results: In both men and women, more screen use while eating was significantly associated with lower intuitive eating, higher thinness-oriented disordered eating, and higher muscularity-oriented disordered eating, above and beyond total screen time and social media use.

Discussion: We found preliminary evidence for the significant links between screen use while eating and intuitive eating and disordered eating. Given the global increases in screen use, continued research is warranted to further explore the role of screen use while eating in the development and maintenance of intuitive eating and disordered eating.

Public significance: Much remains unknown regarding screen use while eating and eating behaviors. We found that in both Chinese men and women, more screen use while eating was significantly and uniquely associated with lower intuitive eating, higher thinness-oriented disordered eating, and higher muscularity-oriented disordered eating. Findings highlight the importance of incorporating screen use while eating in future research on intuitive eating and disordered eating.

Keywords: Chinese adults; disordered eating; intuitive eating; mealtime screen use; screen use during food consumption; screen use while eating.

Grants and funding

2023SC0028/Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality