O7 Eating Competence Relationship to Biopsychosocial Characteristics in Metabolic Syndrome Replicates the General Population

Abstract

Background Eating Competence (EC) is associated with positive emotional, physical, and psychological features in healthy people, but the Satter EC framework (ecSatter) has not been examined in persons with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Objective Identify how ecSatter relates to socio-demographic, physical, and psychological measures in persons with MetS. Study Design, Setting, Participants Baseline biomedical measures and online survey of persons with MetS enrolled in a 2-year efficacy trial of a lifestyle intervention. Rigorous inclusion criteria addressed motivation, cognitive abilities, and comorbidity exclusion. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Patient Health Questionnaire-8, Cohen perceived stress scale, USDA 10-item Food Security Screener (FS); Satter Eating Competence Inventory (ecSI 2.0), SF-36 vitality and mental health scales, socioeconomic and demographic items. Pearson r, independent t-tests, and chi-square compared ecSI 2.0 scores and EC categories with survey findings and biomedical measures. Results Participants (n = 132) were mostly female (67%), White (70%), middle-aged (mean 57.0 ± 11.0 y), well-educated (62% college/post-graduate), with a median income of $86,000. ecSI 2.0 score ranged from 10 to 47 with mean of 30.7 ± 7.2. Sixty-two participants (47%) were denoted as EC, (ecSI 2.0 ≥32). EC persons were older (59.2 ± 10.5 vs 55.1 ± 11.1 y; P = 0.03), had a lower BMI (35.4 ± 5.4 vs 38.2 ± 8.9; P = 0.037), greater vitality (63.6 ± 18.0 vs 55.0 ± 19.8; P = 0.01) and mental health (84.2 ± 8.7 vs 78.4 ± 12.3; P = 0.002), less perceived stress (17.0 ± 5.8 vs 19.9 ± 6.6; P = 0.007) and depressive symptoms (1.6 ± 2.0 vs 2.5 ± 2.5; P = 0.035). FS was high for 92% of EC and for 74% of non-EC. Of the 23 with low/very low FS, 22% were EC and 78% not EC (P = 0.008). Conclusion The relationships of ecSatter with biomedical and psychosocial determinants of health in well persons were affirmed in persons living with MetS, supporting education focused on ecSatter tenets in this high-risk group.