Emotional Eating Patterns, Nutritional Status, and the Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes Among University Students:
Víctor Manuel Jiménez-Cano1, Adela Gómez-Luque2, Vicente Robles-Alonso1
1Department of Nursing, University Centre of Plasencia, University of Extremadura, 10600 Plasencia, Spain.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 13, 2025
Summary
Emotional eating in university students is linked to higher BMI and type 2 diabetes risk. Addressing emotional eating and weight management is crucial for young adult health promotion.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Emotional eating shares neurobiological links with addictive behaviors, yet remains poorly understood.
- University students represent a demographic where emotional eating patterns, nutritional status, and diabetes risk warrant investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess emotional eating patterns, nutritional status, and type 2 diabetes risk in university students.
- To explore the relationship between emotional eating behaviors and metabolic vulnerability indicators.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 129 university students.
- Utilized Emotional Eating Questionnaire (EEQ), Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R18(SP)), and Finnish Diabetes Risk (FINDRISC) score.
- Collected anthropometric data (BMI, body composition) and performed statistical analyses (ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis).
Main Results:
- Significant differences in BMI and total EEQ scores were found across FINDRISC risk categories (p < 0.001).
- Individuals classified as 'Very Emotional Eaters' exhibited higher BMIs and FINDRISC scores.
- No significant differences were observed in specific emotional eating subscales.
Conclusions:
- Emotional eating behaviors may indicate metabolic vulnerability, especially when associated with excess body weight.
- Health promotion programs for young adults should integrate emotional regulation and mindful eating strategies.
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