Addiction to ultra-processed foods as a mediator between psychological stress and emotional eating during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic induced psychological distress, which is linked to emotional eating and symptoms of addiction to ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Objective This study aimed to investigate whether symptoms of addiction to UPFs mediate the relationship between psychological stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic and emotional eating behaviour. Methods A cross-sectional online study was conducted from May to November 2021 among 368 undergraduate Brazilian students. The participants answered demographic questions and completed validated scales, including the Coronavirus Stress Measure, Modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 and Emotional Eating Questionnaire. Mediation analysis was employed to examine the hypothesised relationships. Results The results revealed a significant indirect effect, indicating that symptoms of food addiction mediated the association between perceived stress during the COVID-19 pandemic and emotional eating behaviour. Specifically, 61% of the influence of perceived stress on emotional eating during the pandemic was explained by symptoms of UPF addiction. Conclusion These findings suggest that addressing symptoms of UPF addiction could be pivotal in public health strategies aimed at promoting healthy eating habits among distressed undergraduate students in the post-COVID-19 era.