Influence of Poor Eating Habits on Emotional Regulation and Psychological Health Outcomes Among Adolescents: Moderating Role of Mindfulness

Abstract

The sudden lifestyle changes, eating more fast food, and school demands have changed the eating habits among adolescents, and it has led to concerns over their psychological health. The current research investigates the association between bad eating habits and mental health in adolescents living in North India, with a mediating factor of emotional regulation and a moderating factor of mindfulness. This research, based on self-regulation theory, affect regulation models, and mindfulness theory, suggests an integrated mediation-moderation model to understand how and under what circumstances poor dietary habits affect mental health conditions. A cross-section survey concerning 513 adolescents in colleges and universities in North India. The Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to analyse data. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses determined scale validity and reliability. Findings showed that inappropriate dieting was a strong predictor of negative mental health. This relationship was mediated partially by emotional regulation, and this relationship implies that unhealthy patterns of diet will hamper the emotional management processes, which in their turn will amplify the psychological distress. Also, mindfulness was found to have a moderating effect on the overall effect, such that an increase in mindfulness minimized the negative effects of poor eating habits on mental health. The model explained a substantial percentage of the variation in mental health. The results highlight the significance of incorporating nutritional awareness, emotional regulation education, and mindfulness-based treatments into mental health programs for adolescents. The study adds regional specifics by offering empirical data in North India as well as contributing to the theoretical knowledge of behavioural and psychological pathways that can affect adolescent well-being.