International Journal of Health Sciences & Research (www.ijhsr.org) 281 Vol.8; Issue: 7; July 2018 International Journal of Health Sciences and Research www.ijhsr.org ISSN: 2249-9571 Original Research Article Associative Eating Behaviors and Eating Disorders among Adult Men and Women with Varying Body Mass Index- A Descriptive Study In Urban Population Behnaz Shahrokhisahneh 1 , Khyrunnisa Begum 2 1 Research Scholar, 2 Professor (former), DOS in Food Science and Nutrition, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysore, 57006, India Corresponding Author: Behnaz Shahrokhisahneh ABSTRACT Background: Maladaptive eating behaviors and eating disorders are major determinants of overweight and obesity. Environment and urbanization exert tremendous effect on eating behaviors in population. Objective: The present study aims to identify prevalence of eating behaviors and eating disorders and their association to body weights among adult men and women in an urban region of south India. Method: This was a quantitative observational study. Men (107) and women (193) aged 27 to 47 years having BMI varying between 18.5 and 40 participated. Selection was based on purposive sampling method. Demographic details were obtained and eating behaviors and eating disorders were assessed using appropriate questionnaires. Height and weight of all the participants was obtained using standard techniques. Results: Our results demonstrated significant positive influence of eating patterns on body weight status, especially non-vegetarian diet practice, munching, number of meals consumed per day, meal skipping, eating outside home, high-fat eating and snacking. Munching(31% females, 35% males) was a common practice. Binge eating, picky eating, night eating, restrained eating and uncontrolled eating was found in less than 10% of the population. Emotional eating and food cravings were prevalent in markedly higher percentage of participants and were significantly associated with overweight and obesity (P<0.05). Conclusion: It is evident from the study that eating practices and eating disorders prevalent were essentially similar to those in developed countries. Occurrences of these eating disorders are indicative of the risk for an increase in overweight and obesity among population from underdeveloped countries. Keywords: eating behavior; eating disorder; munching habit; binge eating; emotional eating; food craving INTRODUCTION Prevalence of obesity is on constant rise globally in the past two-three decades; [1] it is therefore considered as the most pandemic yet neglected public health problem. According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates (October 2017), more than 1.9 billion adults (18 years and older) had been overweight in 2016 and obesity has tripled since 1975. [2] WHO also declares that low and middle–income countries experience an ascending trend in