Impulsivity and risky eating behaviors in college students

Abstract

Impulsivity is defined as a sudden action without any previous analysis or reasoning, which can trigger problems for the individual; on the other hand, risky eating behaviors are inadequate behaviors related to food such as: restrictive diets, self-induced vomiting, use of laxatives and diuretics, etc. The aim of the present investigation was to determine the relationship between impulsivity and risky eating behaviors in university students aged 18-29 years, with a sample of 164 participants. The study was quantitative, using the Barrat Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11) and the Brief Questionnaire on Risky Eating Behaviors (CBCAR). It also had a non-experimental design of correlational scope, for which, after the application of the normality test, when data with a normal distribution were not obtained, the nonparametric Spearman's Rho test was applied. Finally, the results showed that there is a low positive correlation between the study variables, so that, weakly, the greater the impulsivity, the greater the presence of risky eating behaviors in the participants. In particular, with regard to impulsivity, an average of 51.5 was found with no significant differences according to sex; and, with respect to risky eating behaviors, 63.4% did not present any risk, 20.1% showed moderate risk and 20.1% showed moderate risk and 16.5% a high risk, without showing a significant association with sex, i.e., CAR levels do not depend on being male or female.