The mediating role of food craving in the relationship between psychological distress and body mass index in adults: a cross-sectional analysis (opens in new tab)

BackgroundThe etiology of obesity involves complex interactions between psychological distress and negative eating behaviors. However, the specific mechanisms by which negative emotional states physiologically translate into weight gain remain unclear.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to examine the association of depression, anxiety, and stress with body mass index (BMI) in adults and to investigate the mediating role of food craving in these relationships.MethodsThis cross-sectional study i...