Binge Watching during COVID-19: Associations with Stress and Body Weight
Binge watching is becoming increasingly common and may impact energy balance and body weight. The COVID-19 pandemic has created conditions conducive to binge watching and increased stress. We investigated relationships between COVID-related stress and binge watching behaviors, and potential variatio...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/10/3418 |
| _version_ | 1797513554510741504 |
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| author | Anahys H. Aghababian Jennifer R. Sadler Elena Jansen Gita Thapaliya Kimberly R. Smith Susan Carnell |
| author_facet | Anahys H. Aghababian Jennifer R. Sadler Elena Jansen Gita Thapaliya Kimberly R. Smith Susan Carnell |
| author_sort | Anahys H. Aghababian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Binge watching is becoming increasingly common and may impact energy balance and body weight. The COVID-19 pandemic has created conditions conducive to binge watching and increased stress. We investigated relationships between COVID-related stress and binge watching behaviors, and potential variation in this relationship by body weight. Adults (<i>n</i> = 466) completed a cross-sectional online survey assessing binge watching behaviors during and before the pandemic, COVID-related stress, and body weight. Participants reported an increase in binge watching frequency from before to during the pandemic (F<sub>1,401</sub> = 99.970, <i>p</i> < 0.001), with rates of high binge watching (“3–4 times per week” to “3 or more times per day”) increasing from 14.6% to 33.0%. Binge watching episode duration increased from 3.26 ± 1.89 h to 3.92 ± 2.08 h (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The increase in binge watching frequency was greatest in individuals with obesity and high stress (F <sub>4,401</sub> = 4.098, <i>p</i> = 0.003). Participants reporting high stress reported higher frequency of eating while binge watching, as well as higher levels of negative emotional triggers, consequences to binge watching, and lack of control over binge watching (all <i>p</i> < 0.001). Our results show that binge watching increased during the pandemic, with greater increases among individuals reporting higher COVID-related stress, especially those with obesity, and concomitant effects on eating, and highlight a need for interventions to minimize the obesogenic impact of binge watching during the pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:18:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6b673b96cf6d430bba30473aa85d70b4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:18:13Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-6b673b96cf6d430bba30473aa85d70b42023-11-22T19:28:16ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432021-09-011310341810.3390/nu13103418Binge Watching during COVID-19: Associations with Stress and Body WeightAnahys H. Aghababian0Jennifer R. Sadler1Elena Jansen2Gita Thapaliya3Kimberly R. Smith4Susan Carnell5Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USADivision of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USADivision of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USADivision of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USADepartment of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USADivision of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USABinge watching is becoming increasingly common and may impact energy balance and body weight. The COVID-19 pandemic has created conditions conducive to binge watching and increased stress. We investigated relationships between COVID-related stress and binge watching behaviors, and potential variation in this relationship by body weight. Adults (<i>n</i> = 466) completed a cross-sectional online survey assessing binge watching behaviors during and before the pandemic, COVID-related stress, and body weight. Participants reported an increase in binge watching frequency from before to during the pandemic (F<sub>1,401</sub> = 99.970, <i>p</i> < 0.001), with rates of high binge watching (“3–4 times per week” to “3 or more times per day”) increasing from 14.6% to 33.0%. Binge watching episode duration increased from 3.26 ± 1.89 h to 3.92 ± 2.08 h (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The increase in binge watching frequency was greatest in individuals with obesity and high stress (F <sub>4,401</sub> = 4.098, <i>p</i> = 0.003). Participants reporting high stress reported higher frequency of eating while binge watching, as well as higher levels of negative emotional triggers, consequences to binge watching, and lack of control over binge watching (all <i>p</i> < 0.001). Our results show that binge watching increased during the pandemic, with greater increases among individuals reporting higher COVID-related stress, especially those with obesity, and concomitant effects on eating, and highlight a need for interventions to minimize the obesogenic impact of binge watching during the pandemic.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/10/3418binge watchingCOVID-19stressBMIeating behavior |
| spellingShingle | Anahys H. Aghababian Jennifer R. Sadler Elena Jansen Gita Thapaliya Kimberly R. Smith Susan Carnell Binge Watching during COVID-19: Associations with Stress and Body Weight Nutrients binge watching COVID-19 stress BMI eating behavior |
| title | Binge Watching during COVID-19: Associations with Stress and Body Weight |
| title_full | Binge Watching during COVID-19: Associations with Stress and Body Weight |
| title_fullStr | Binge Watching during COVID-19: Associations with Stress and Body Weight |
| title_full_unstemmed | Binge Watching during COVID-19: Associations with Stress and Body Weight |
| title_short | Binge Watching during COVID-19: Associations with Stress and Body Weight |
| title_sort | binge watching during covid 19 associations with stress and body weight |
| topic | binge watching COVID-19 stress BMI eating behavior |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/10/3418 |
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