Relación entre el estado nutricional y el ser un comedor emocional en las mujeres que asisten al Centro de Formación Artesanal “Las Américas”, Cuenca 2024

Abstract

Emotional eating refers to the use of food to manage emotions and is more common in women due to biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors. Its impact on nutritional status has been widely studied, revealing unhealthy eating patterns. This cross-sectional analytical study, conducted at the “Las Américas” Artisan Training Center in Cuenca, evaluated the relationship between nutritional status and emotional eating in attending women. BMI and waist circumference were measured, and the Garaulet Emotional Eater Questionnaire was used to identify this behavior. Data were analyzed using Excel and SPSS. The results showed a significant relationship between emotional eating and nutritional status. A total of 66.3% of participants had a BMI above the normal range, demonstrating that emotional eating is a key factor in the development of overweight and obesity. Additionally, more than half of the participants presented cardiovascular risk, which was also associated with emotional eating. The study concludes that as emotions have a greater influence on eating behavior, the risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders increases in this population.