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“Are we what we eat?": The relationship between childhood trauma, emotional distress and emotional motivations of food choices
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Abstract(s)
O presente trabalho tem como objetivo estabelecer uma associação entre a exposição ao trauma infantil e as motivações emocionais das escolhas alimentares, bem como os papéis mediadores da qualidade de vinculação e da perturbação emocional (ou seja, sintomatologia ansiosa e depressiva). O trauma infantil influencia os elementos nutridores do ser humano, seja na sua forma relacional (vinculação), ou na sua forma alimentar (escolhas alimentares). A literatura identifica uma relação bidirecional entre as motivações emocionais das escolhas alimentares e o desenvolvimento de perturbação emocional. Os estados emocionais resultantes do trauma são suprimidos pelo consumo de comida. Neste estudo participaram 500 pessoas que responderam a um conjunto de questionários (Questionário de Trauma na Infância; Escala de Vinculação do Adulto; Escala de Ansiedade e Depressão Hospitalar; Questionário dos Determinantes das Escolhas Alimentares), de forma a perceber a relação entre variáveis. Os resultados demostraram que a relação direta entre o trauma infantil e as motivações emocionais das escolhas alimentares não foi significativa. No entanto, o efeito indireto do trauma infantil nas motivações emocionais nas escolhas alimentares, através da ansiedade vinculativa foi significativo. Níveis mais elevados de trauma infantil estão associados a níveis mais elevados de ansiedade vinculativa, que por sua vez estão associados a níveis mais elevados de motivações emocionais nas escolhas alimentares. Observou-se também que o efeito indireto do trauma infantil nas motivações emocionais das escolhas alimentares, através dos sintomas de ansiedade foi significativo. Níveis mais elevados de trauma na infância estão associados a níveis mais elevados de sintomas de ansiedade, que por sua vez estão associados a níveis mais elevados de motivações emocionais nas escolhas alimentares. Por fim, os resultados indicaram que níveis mais elevados de trauma infantil estão associados a níveis mais elevados de ansiedade de vinculação, que por sua vez estão associados a níveis mais elevados de sintomas de ansiedade, que subsequentemente, estão associados a níveis mais elevados de motivações emocionais nas escolhas alimentares. Os resultados indicaram ainda que uma maior exposição ao trauma na infância se encontra associada a níveis mais baixos de Conforto com a Proximidade vinculativa, que por sua vez se encontram associados a níveis mais elevados de sintomas de ansiedade, e que subsequentemente estão associados a níveis mais elevados de motivações emocionais nas escolhas alimentares. Futuras investigações devem analisar a relação entre o trauma infantil, a adoção de padrões alimentares saudáveis e biomarcadores inflamatórios, através de uma abordagem multidisciplinar com as áreas da Nutrição e Medicina.
The present study aims to establish an association between exposure to childhood trauma and the emotional motivations behind food choices, as well as the mediating roles of attachment quality and emotional distress (i.e., anxiety and depressive symptoms). Childhood trauma influences the nourishing elements of human beings, whether in their relational form (attachment) or in their alimentary form (food choices). The literature identifies a bidirectional relationship between the emotional motivations of food choices and the development of emotional distress. The emotional states resulting from trauma are suppressed by food consumption. This study involved 500 people who responded to a set of questionnaires (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire; Adult Attachment Scale; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; Food Choice Determinants Questionnaire) in order to understand the relationship between variables. The results showed that the direct path from childhood trauma to emotional motivations in food choices was non significant. Meanwhile, the indirect effect from childhood trauma to emotional motivations in food choices through Attachment Anxiety was significant. Higher levels of childhood trauma were linked to higher levels of Attachment Anxiety, which in turn were linked to higher levels of emotional motivations in food choices. It was also observed that the indirect effect from childhood trauma to emotional motivations in food choices through anxiety symptoms was significant. Higher levels of childhood trauma were linked to higher levels of anxiety symptoms, which in turn were linked to higher levels of emotional motivations in food choices. Finally, the two-step indirect effects results indicated that higher levels of childhood trauma were linked to higher levels of Attachment Anxiety, which in turn were linked to higher levels of anxiety symptoms, which in turn subsequently were linked to higher levels of emotional motivations in food choices. The findings further indicated that greater exposure to childhood trauma was linked to lower levels of Closeness Attachment, which subsequently were linked to higher levels of anxiety symptoms, ultimately being linked to higher levels of emotional motivations in food choices. Future research should analyze the relationship between childhood trauma, the adoption of healthy eating patterns and inflammatory biomarkers, through a multidisciplinary approach with the including the areas of Nutrition and Medicine.
The present study aims to establish an association between exposure to childhood trauma and the emotional motivations behind food choices, as well as the mediating roles of attachment quality and emotional distress (i.e., anxiety and depressive symptoms). Childhood trauma influences the nourishing elements of human beings, whether in their relational form (attachment) or in their alimentary form (food choices). The literature identifies a bidirectional relationship between the emotional motivations of food choices and the development of emotional distress. The emotional states resulting from trauma are suppressed by food consumption. This study involved 500 people who responded to a set of questionnaires (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire; Adult Attachment Scale; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; Food Choice Determinants Questionnaire) in order to understand the relationship between variables. The results showed that the direct path from childhood trauma to emotional motivations in food choices was non significant. Meanwhile, the indirect effect from childhood trauma to emotional motivations in food choices through Attachment Anxiety was significant. Higher levels of childhood trauma were linked to higher levels of Attachment Anxiety, which in turn were linked to higher levels of emotional motivations in food choices. It was also observed that the indirect effect from childhood trauma to emotional motivations in food choices through anxiety symptoms was significant. Higher levels of childhood trauma were linked to higher levels of anxiety symptoms, which in turn were linked to higher levels of emotional motivations in food choices. Finally, the two-step indirect effects results indicated that higher levels of childhood trauma were linked to higher levels of Attachment Anxiety, which in turn were linked to higher levels of anxiety symptoms, which in turn subsequently were linked to higher levels of emotional motivations in food choices. The findings further indicated that greater exposure to childhood trauma was linked to lower levels of Closeness Attachment, which subsequently were linked to higher levels of anxiety symptoms, ultimately being linked to higher levels of emotional motivations in food choices. Future research should analyze the relationship between childhood trauma, the adoption of healthy eating patterns and inflammatory biomarkers, through a multidisciplinary approach with the including the areas of Nutrition and Medicine.
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Keywords
Emotional Motivations of food choices Childhood trauma Attachment Anxiety Depression