Gutierrez-Colina Ana M, Neiser Abigail, Bothwell Samantha, Miller-Chagnon Reagan L, Moran Megan J, Shomaker Lauren B, Lucas-Thomson Rachel G
Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Colorado State University, 410 W Pitkin St, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA.
Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E 17th Place, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
SSM Popul Health. 2025 Jun 25;31:101832. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2025.101832. eCollection 2025 Sep.
To evaluate the extent to which different facets of self-regulation, including emotion regulation and executive functioning, relate to three target health behaviors associated with obesity risk (i.e., eating, physical activity, and sleep) in youth facing multiple adversities.
Participants included youth (10-18 years) and their caregivers. Emotion regulation, executive functioning, and subjective health behaviors were measured via self- and proxy-report. Disinhibited eating was assessed objectively. Caregivers reported on sociodemographic and risk indicators. Regression analyses were used to examine associations between self-regulation and health behaviors.
A total of 174 youth and their caregivers enrolled in the study. Youth experienced overall high levels of socioeconomic, academic, and health hardships, as well as high levels of caregiver-reported executive dysfunction. Self-reported emotion regulation difficulties were consistently associated with greater self-reported reward-based eating and sleep disturbances, with effect sizes varying from small to large. Only one facet of emotion regulation, difficulties with emotional awareness, was inversely associated with self-reported physical activity. Caregiver-reported executive functioning was not related to health behaviors.
The current study highlights the potential role of emotion regulation in obesity prevention efforts and identifies unique associations between specific facets of emotion regulation and health behaviors among youth exposed to adversity. Public health and obesity prevention efforts that target emotion regulation and coping skills may be particularly beneficial in promoting health behaviors in this population. Findings underscore the need for future research to examine how broader, multi-level contextual factors influence self-regulation, shape youth's health behaviors, and contribute to long-term obesity risk.
评估自我调节的不同方面，包括情绪调节和执行功能，与面临多种逆境的青少年中与肥胖风险相关的三种目标健康行为（即饮食、身体活动和睡眠）之间的关联程度。
参与者包括青少年（10 - 18岁）及其照顾者。通过自我报告和代理报告来测量情绪调节、执行功能和主观健康行为。客观评估无节制饮食。照顾者报告社会人口统计学和风险指标。使用回归分析来检验自我调节与健康行为之间的关联。
共有174名青少年及其照顾者参与了该研究。青少年经历了总体较高水平的社会经济、学业和健康困难，以及照顾者报告的较高水平的执行功能障碍。自我报告的情绪调节困难始终与更多基于奖励的饮食和睡眠障碍相关，效应大小从小到大都有。情绪调节中只有一个方面，即情绪意识困难，与自我报告的身体活动呈负相关。照顾者报告的执行功能与健康行为无关。
当前研究突出了情绪调节在肥胖预防工作中的潜在作用，并确定了面临逆境的青少年中情绪调节的特定方面与健康行为之间的独特关联。针对情绪调节和应对技能的公共卫生和肥胖预防工作可能对促进该人群的健康行为特别有益。研究结果强调了未来研究需要考察更广泛的多层次背景因素如何影响自我调节、塑造青少年的健康行为以及导致长期肥胖风险。
