Food addiction and emotional eating are associated with intradaily rest–activity rhythm variability

Purpose: The aim of the present investigation was to study the associations among parameters characterizing eating behavior and actimetry-derived indices of circadian rhythm of motor activity. Methods: The study involved 81 healthy participants (average age: 21.5 ± 9.6 y, women: 77.8%). Each study participant provided personal data, filled out the Yale Food Addiction Scale and the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, and wore a wrist actimeter for 7 consecutive days to record motor activity. Using time series treatments, we obtained: (a) three cosinor-derived parametric indices [Medline Estimating Statistics of Rhythm (MESOR), amplitude, and acrophase], and (b) four non-parametric indices [interdaily stability, intradaily variability (I.V.), most active 10-h period (M10), and least active 5-h period] characterizing the 24-h rhythm of motor activity. A multiple regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, and BMI was performed to assess the associations among the studied indicators. Results: It was shown that I.V.is a predictor of symptoms of food addiction (β= 0.242, P= 0.037) and emotional eating (β= 0.390, P= 0.004), MESOR is a predictor of symptoms of food addiction (β= 0.342, P= 0.003), and M10predicts restraint (β= 0.257, P= 0.015) and emotional eating (β= 0.464, P= 0.001). Conclusion: It was shown for the first time that an increase in symptom counts of food addiction is associated with an increase in the average level and fragmentation of 24-h rhythm of motor activity. Level of evidence: Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.