The Effect of Covid-19 Fear and Health Anxiety on Emotional Eating Behavior

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of fear of COVID-19 and health anxiety on emotional eating behavior in adults. The research consists of 803 volunteer participants. As data collection tools; Socio-Demographic Information Form, Coronavirus Information Form, Coronavirus 19 Phobia Scale Health Anxiety Scale, and Turkish Emotional Eating Scale were used. According to the fear of coronavirus 19 and emotional eating behavior scores of adult individuals are determined according to gender, marital status, seeing oneself as overweight, the increase in eating behavior at home during the pandemic process, and the frequency of following the information about the coronavirus. According to the health anxiety scores of adults according to gender, age, increase in eating behavior at home during the pandemic process, psychiatric disorder and chronic disease. It was found that there is a statistically significant difference according to the frequency of following the information about the increase in eating behavior at home, psychiatric illness and coronavirus during the pandemic process. It was found that all subdimensions and total scores of fear of coronavirus 19 and health anxiety had a statistically significant effect on emotional eating behavior scores.