Objective: To determine the associations between interoception, self-regulation, eating behaviors, and weight status among college students.
Participants: 229 female undergraduates, predominantly classified as Juniors (51.1%) and identified as Hispanic/Latinx (75%) with a mean age of 23.4 (SD = 6.3), were examined.
Methods: Cross-sectional data using baseline measures from a larger, longitudinal study, were examined. Confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling were conducted to test hypotheses.
Results: Interoception was directly associated to self-regulation. Interoception and self-regulation were inversely associated with non-purposeful eating. Non-purposeful eating was directly associated with weight status.
Conclusion: This study provided empirical evidence on the associations between interoception, self-regulation, eating behaviors, and weight status. Our results support the need for programs that target college students' cognitive skills to reduce unhealthy eating behaviors and optimize weight status. Future interventions are needed to enhance interoception and self-regulation skills so that college students can be more purposeful in their eating habits.
Keywords: Body Mass Index; college students; eating behaviors; interoception; self-regulation.