Gender differences in the association between alexithymia and emotional eating in obese individuals

ObjectiveWomen have been reported to use more emotion-regulation strategies than do men and to have more abilities to regulate their emotions in a different way. The aim of the present study was to examine gender differences in the relationships of alexithymia, negative mood, and the combination of alexithymia and negative mood with emotional eating in obese persons.MethodsFour hundred thirteen obese individuals [343 females and 70 males, aged 18–60 years, mean=43.6 years, body mass index (BMI)=38.4±6.6 kg/m2] completed self-report questionnaires, including the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) questionnaire, the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ), and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS).ResultsHierarchical regression analysis showed a significant interaction between gender and alexithymia. More difficulty in identifying or describing feelings was specifically associated with more emotional eating in men.ConclusionThese findings suggest that alexithymia is more strongly involved in emotional eating of obese men than women. This offers indications for designing gender-specific treatments for emotional eating among obese persons.