Table 2 Factors associated with negative emotional eating in Chinese university students (n = 424)
Factors | Male students (n = 201) | Female students (n = 223) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Emotional Eating % (n) | Unadjusted OR (95% CI) | Multivariable OR (95% CI) | Emotional Eating % (n) | Unadjusted OR (95% CI) | Multivariable OR (95% CI) | |
Age | ||||||
 < 21 years of age | 1.9% (2) | 1.00 | 1.00 | 15.7% (22) | 1.00 | – |
 ≥ 21 years of age | 7.4% (7) | 4.14 (0.84–20.4)†| 2.71 (0.47–15.7) | 13.3% (11) | 0.82 (0.38–1.79) |  |
Place of birth | ||||||
 Hong Kong | 4.1% (7) | 1.00 | – | 14.5% (26) | 1.00 | – |
 Foreign-born | 6.3% (2) | 1.54 (0.31–7.79) |  | 15.9% (7) | 1.11 (0.45–2.76) |  |
Parental education | ||||||
 Up to high school | 4.3% (5) | 1.00 | – | 17.6% (23) | 1.00 | – |
 University or more | 4.8% (4) | 1.12 (0.29–4.30) |  | 10.9% (10) | 0.57 (0.26–1.27) |  |
Area of study | ||||||
 Non-Science majors | 2.6% (2) | 1.00 | – | 11.8% (16) | 1.00 | – |
 Science majors | 5.6% (7) | 2.24 (0.45–11.1) |  | 19.5% (17) | 1.82 (0.87–3.83) |  |
Religiosity | ||||||
 No religion | 4.7% (7) | 1.00 | – | 15.5% (25) | 1.00 | – |
 Has religion | 3.8% (2) | 0.81 (0.16–4.04) |  | 12.9% (8) | 0.81 (0.34–1.90) |  |
Housing | ||||||
 Live at home | 8.0% (7) | 1.00 | 1.00 | 14.6% (15) | 1.00 | – |
 Dorm/Elsewhere | 1.8% (2) | 0.20 (0.04–1.01)†| 0.33 (0.06–1.94) | 15.0% (18) | 1.04 (0.49–2.18) |  |
Part-time job | ||||||
 Yes | 2.0% (2) | 1.00 | 1.00 | 17.6% (21) | 1.00 | – |
 No | 7.0% (9) | 3.73 (0.76–18.4)†| 2.01 (0.33–12.3) | 11.5% (12) | 0.61 (0.28–1.31) |  |
In a romantic relationship? | ||||||
 Yes | 4.3% (5) | 1.00 | – | 8.3% (11) | 1.00 | 1.00 |
 No | 4.7% (4) | 1.07 (0.28–4.12) |  | 24.2% (22) | 3.51 (1.61–7.67)‡ | 3.45 (1.18–10.0)* |
DASS-Depression | ||||||
 Normal score | 1.2% (2) | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.7% (1) | 1.00 | 1.00 |
 Depressive symptoms | 21.9% (7) | 23.4 (4.60–119)§ | 10.1 (1.51–67.4)* | 42.1% (32) | 106 (14.1–799)§ | 44.5 (5.58–356)§ |
DASS-Anxiety | ||||||
 Normal score | 2.2% (4) | 1.00 | 1.00 | 6.2% (10) | 1.00 | 1.00 |
 Anxiety symptoms | 21.7% (5) | 12.1 (2.98–49.1)§ | 1.13 (0.13–9.75) | 37.7% (23) | 9.20 (4.04–21.0)* | 0.86 (0.28–2.68) |
DASS-Stress | ||||||
 Normal score | 2.6% (5) | 1.00 | 1.00 | 6.9% (13) | 1.00 | 1.00 |
 Stress symptoms | 36.4% (4) | 21.1 (4.64–96.3)§ | 3.43 (0.37–32.3) | 58.8% (20) | 19.3 (7.98–46.9)§ | 5.65 (1.93–16.6)‡ |