UC Irvine

The direct link between acculturative stress and eating behavioral problems has been previously examined. However, scientific research focusing on Asian descendants and the mechanism behind this association is scant. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the association is critical. It can contribute to refining culturally sensitive preventive measures of eating pathologies and obesity, which can ultimately provide methods of minimizing health disparities in the United States. The present study sought to investigate the relation between acculturative stress and eating disinhibition among Asian young adults, as well as the mediating effect of depressive symptoms and the moderating effect of gender on these associations. Asian undergraduate students (N = 477; 78% females; Mage = 20.35, SD = 1.72) participated in an online cross-sectional study. Results showed that there was a positive association between acculturative stress and eating disinhibition. Depressive symptoms partially mediated this positive relation. Gender moderated the path between acculturative stress and depressive symptoms in the mediation model, and the mediating effect of depressive symptoms was stronger among Asian male than female students. Findings spark several promising future research directions, which are discussed. When treating eating disinhibition in the context of acculturative stress, the results suggest that preventive and treatment measures may prove effective to target depressive symptoms, especially among Asian male students.