Table 3 Mediation analysis of the effects between eating behaviors, Healthy Behaviors, Self-Perceived Health, and Comorbidity: results from HINTS 5 cycle 3 (2019), United States

EB ⇒ SH

0.071

0.038

0.110

< 0.001

HB ⇒SH

0.278

0.235

0.329

< 0.001

EB⇒CO

0.020

0.012

0.057

0.207

SP ⇒ CO

− 0.370

0.-426

− 0.346

< 0.001

HB⇒ CO

− 0.107

− 0.159

0.069

< 0.001

EB ⇒ HB

0.246

0.209

0.297

< 0.001

EB ⇒ SH ⇒ CO

− 0.026

− 0.043

− 0.014

< 0.001

EB ⇒ HB ⇒ SH⇒ CO*

− 0.025

− 0.035

− 0.021

< 0.001

EB ⇒ HB ⇒ CO**

− 0.029

− 0.041

− 0.017

< 0.001

HB ⇒ SH⇒ CO

− 0.103

− 0.129

− 0.089

< 0.001

Model effect Self-perceived health (R² = 0.092)

Model effect Comorbidity (R² = 0.169)

Model effect Healthy behaviors (R² = 0.060)