Personality, eating behaviour, and body weight: results from the population study of women in Gothenburg 2016/17

Abstract

The aim was to investigate the cross-sectional associations between personality traits, psychogenic needs and eating behaviour, and to describe the extent to which personality influences the association between eating behaviour and weight status. In 2016/17, a population-based sample of 573 women in Gothenburg, Sweden aged either 38 or 50 participated in a health examination. They completed the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, measuring uncontrolled eating, emotional eating and cognitive restraint on a scale of zero to 100. Scores higher than 50 defined excessive eating behaviour. The Cesarec-Marke Personality Schedule was used to measure psychogenic needs, characterised by pursuits and objectives that define personality and influence actions. Extraversion and neuroticism were assessed using the Eysenck-Personality Inventory. Regression models for excessive eating behaviour and for logarithmic body mass index (BMI) as a function of standardised personality scores were adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle and health factors. A higher need to defend one’s status (DST) was positively associated with excessive uncontrolled eating, odds ratio (OR) = 1.44, 95% confidence interval = (1.11, 1.86) per standard deviation (SD) of DST. The need to defend one’s status was more strongly associated with excessive emotional eating, OR = 1.61 (1.18, 2.20) than neuroticism, OR = 1.45 (1.06, 1.97), in a mutually adjusted model. Needs for achievement and autonomy were associated with excessive cognitive restraint, OR = 1.39 (1.09, 1.76) and 0.78 (0.62, 0.97), respectively. Excessive emotional eating was associated with 5.3 (1.1, 9.6) % higher values of BMI when adjusted for the need of DST, which was associated with −2.7 (−4.1, −1.3) % lower BMI per SD. Psychogenic needs were more closely associated with eating behaviour than personality traits. A lower need to defend one’s status and excessive emotional eating were independently associated with higher BMI, suggesting different pathways to obesity and treatment strategies.