The Relationship Between Emotion Regulation and Perceptions of Body Image, Health, and Eating in Food Science College Students

Mari Aguilera (), Claudia Soar, Ricard Celorio-Sardà, Oriol Comas-Basté, M. Carmen Vidal-Carou and Maria Clara de Moraes Prata Gaspar
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Mari Aguilera: Departament de Cognició, Desenvolupament i Psicologia de l’Educació, Secció Cognició, Facultat de Psicologia, Campus de Mundet, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Claudia Soar: Nutrition Post-Graduate Program, Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis 88040900, Brazil
Ricard Celorio-Sardà: Departament de Nutrició, Ciències de l’Alimentació i Gastronomia, Campus de l’Alimentació de Torribera, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Av. Prat de la Riba 171, 08921 Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain
Oriol Comas-Basté: Departament de Nutrició, Ciències de l’Alimentació i Gastronomia, Campus de l’Alimentació de Torribera, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Av. Prat de la Riba 171, 08921 Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain
M. Carmen Vidal-Carou: Departament de Nutrició, Ciències de l’Alimentació i Gastronomia, Campus de l’Alimentació de Torribera, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Av. Prat de la Riba 171, 08921 Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain
Maria Clara de Moraes Prata Gaspar: Departament de Nutrició, Ciències de l’Alimentació i Gastronomia, Campus de l’Alimentació de Torribera, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Av. Prat de la Riba 171, 08921 Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: Emotional regulation plays a central role in shaping eating behaviors and body image, though few studies have examined this relationship in students of food sciences. A total of 297 undergraduates from Human Nutrition and Dietetics and Food Science and Technology completed surveys on health, body image, and eating behaviors, along with the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) identified four perception dimensions. Pearson correlations and multiple linear regression assessed their relationships with emotional regulation. EFA revealed four factors: (1) health perception, (2) body image and related emotions, (3) weight and diet control, and (4) individual responsibility for diet. No differences emerged by sex or degree. Correlations indicated that three factors were significantly associated with DERS scores, particularly body image and emotions. Multiple regression showed that body image and emotions and weight and diet control significantly predicted emotional regulation, while health perception and individual responsibility were not significant. These findings highlight the role of emotional regulation in shaping perceptions of health and eating, underscoring its relevance in the education of future food professionals. Training food professionals should integrate emotional competencies to support healthier self-perceptions and practices.

Keywords: emotional regulation; eating perceptions; body perception; healthy eating (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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