The relationship between anxiety, coping, and disordered-eating attitudes in adolescent military-dependents at high-risk for excess weight gain
Research Report:
Research SummaryAPA Citation:
Solomon, S., Shank, L. M., Lavender, J. M., Higgins Neyland, M. K., Gallager-Teske, J., Markos, B., Haynes, H., Repke, H., Rice, A. J., Sbrocco, T., Wilfley, D. E., Schvey, N. A., Jorgensen, S., Ford, B., Ford, C. B., Haigney, M., Klein, D. A., Quinlan, J., & Tanofsky-Kraff, M. (2023). The relationship between anxiety, coping, and disordered-eating attitudes in adolescent military-dependents at high-risk for excess weight gain. Military Psychology, 35(2), 95-106. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2022.2083448
Abstract Created by REACH:
This study examined the association between mental health and disordered eating attitudes among a sample of 136 military-dependent adolescents. Adolescents had a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 85th percentile and were considered at risk for disordered eating and weight gain. Thus, different coping strategies were also explored that may decrease risk. Adolescents completed questionnaires concerning their anxiety and depressive symptoms and different styles of coping (i.e., aggression, distraction, endurance, self-destruction, stress recognition). Disordered eating attitudes (e.g., dietary restraint, shape concern) were assessed via a clinical interview. Overall, greater anxiety among adolescents was associated with more disordered eating attitudes, but the role of coping was less clear.
Focus:
Mental health
Physical health
Children
Youth
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Air Force
Army
Coast Guard
Navy
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Subject Affiliation:
Child of a service member or veteran
Population:
School age (6 - 12 yrs)
Adolescence (13 - 17 yrs)
Methodology:
Secondary Analysis
Quantitative Study
Cross sectional study
Authors:
Solomon, Senait, Shank, Lisa M., Lavender, Jason M., Higgins Neyland, M. K., Gallager-Teske, Julia, Markos, Bethelhem, Haynes, Hannah, Repke, Hannah, Rice, Alexander J., Sbrocco, Tracy, Wilfley, Denise E., Schvey, Natasha A., Jorgensen, Sarah, Ford, Brian, Ford, Caitlin B., Haigney, Mark, Klein, David A., Quinlan, Jeffrey, Tanofsky‐Kraff, Marian
Abstract:
Adolescent military-dependents are an understudied population who face unique stressors due to their parents’ careers. Research suggests tat adolescent military-dependents report more anxiety and disordered-eating than their civilian counterparts. While anxiety symptoms predict the onset and worsening of disordered-eating attitudes, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. One factor that may underlie this relationship, and be particularly relevant for military-dependent youth, is coping. Therefore, we examined adolescent military-dependents (N = 136; 14.5 ± 1.5 years; 59.6% female; BMI-z: 1.9 ± 0.4) who were at-risk for adult obesity and binge-eating disorder due to an age- and sex-adjusted BMI ≥ 85th percentile and loss-of-control eating and/or elevated anxiety. Participants completed an interview assessing disordered-eating attitudes and questionnaires on anxiety symptoms and coping strategies at a single time point. Bootstrapping models were conducted to examine the indirect paths between anxiety symptoms and disordered-eating attitudes through five coping subscales (aggression, distraction, endurance, self-distraction, and stress-recognition). Adjusting for relevant covariates, no significant indirect paths through the coping subscales (ps > .05) were found in any models. General coping, nonspecific to eating, may not be a pathway between anxiety symptoms and disordered-eating attitudes among adolescents. Future research should examine other potential mediators of this relationship.
Publisher/Sponsoring Organization:
Taylor & Francis
Publication Type:
Article
REACH Publication
Author Affiliation:
Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), SS
Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), LMS
Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), TS
Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), NAS
Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), MTK
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, USU, SS
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, USU, LMS
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, USU, JML
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, USU, MKHN
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, USU, JGT
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, USU, BM
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, USU, HH
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, USU, HR
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, USU, AJR
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, USU, MH
Military Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (MiCOR) Program, USU, MTK
Metis Foundation, SS
Metis Foundation, LMS
Metis Foundation, JML
Metis Foundation, MKHN
Metis Foundation, JGT
Metis Foundation, BM
Metis Foundation, HH
Metis Foundation, HR
Metis Foundation, AJR
Department of Medicine, USU, LMS
Department of Medicine, USU, JML
Department of Medicine, USU, MKHN
Department of Medicine, USU, JGT
Department of Medicine, USU, BM
Department of Medicine, USU, HH
Department of Medicine, USU, HR
Department of Medicine, USU, AJR
Department of Medicine, USU, MH
Department of Medicine, USU, MTK
Section on Growth and Obesity, Program in Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, LMS
Section on Growth and Obesity, Program in Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, NAS
Section on Growth and Obesity, Program in Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, MTK
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, DEW
Department of Family Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, SJ
Department of Family Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, JQ
Department of Family Medicine, USU, BF
Department of Family Medicine, USU, DAK
Department of Family Medicine, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, CBF
Department of Pediatrics, USU, DAK
Keywords:
coping, eating disorders, weight gain, anxiety
REACH Publication Type:
Research Summary
Sponsors:
This work was supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) [1R01DK104115-01 to M. Tanofsky-Kraff] and the Defense Health Agency [HU00012120008 to M. Haigney].
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