Emotional Eating and Its Relationship with Symptoms of Anxiety, Depression, and Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicenter Study in College Students

Isabela Silva, Adriana Lúcia Meireles, Carolina Martins dos Santos Chagas, Clareci Silva Cardoso, Helian Nunes de Oliveira, Eulilian Dias de Freitas, Fernanda de Carvalho Vidigal, Luciana Neri Nobre, Luciana Saraiva da Silva, Waléria de Paula and Lívia Garcia Ferreira ()
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Isabela Silva: Graduate Program in Nutrition and Health, Department of Nutrition, Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil
Adriana Lúcia Meireles: Department of Clinical and Social Nutrition, School of Nutrition, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (UFOP), Ouro Preto 25400-000, MG, Brazil
Carolina Martins dos Santos Chagas: Graduate Program in Nutrition and Health, Department of Nutrition, Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil
Clareci Silva Cardoso: Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, Universidade Federal de São João Del-Rei (UFSJ), Divinópolis 35501-296, MG, Brazil
Helian Nunes de Oliveira: Medical School, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte 30130-100, MG, Brazil
Eulilian Dias de Freitas: Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Campus Avançado Governador Valadares (UFJF-GV), Governador Valadares 35020-220, MG, Brazil
Fernanda de Carvalho Vidigal: Faculty of Nutrition, Universidade Federal de Alfenas (UNIFAL), Alfenas 37130-001, MG, Brazil
Luciana Neri Nobre: Graduate Program in Sciences of Nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Campus JK (UFVJM), Diamantina 39100-000, MG, Brazil
Luciana Saraiva da Silva: School of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Uberlândia 38405-320, MG, Brazil
Waléria de Paula: Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (UFOP), Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil
Lívia Garcia Ferreira: Graduate Program in Nutrition and Health, Department of Nutrition, Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, Brazil

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 3, 1-17

Abstract: Emotional eating refers to overeating triggered by negative emotions, and it is common among those with mental health challenges. Academics are vulnerable to changes in eating habits and mental well-being, especially after the pandemic began. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between emotional eating and the signs and symptoms of mental disorders in undergraduates aged 18 and older. They completed a virtual questionnaire assessing emotional eating using the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, and mental health by a reduced version of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale. In this cross-sectional, multicenter survey, 8650 students (65.7% female, average age 22) participated, with a median body mass index of 23.3 kg/m 2 , and 23.8% were enrolled in health-related courses. The median emotional eating score was 44.4 (22.2–66.7), and a large proportion had symptoms of depression (73.2%), stress (68.1%), and anxiety (66.1%). Symptoms of anxiety (CI = 1.291–1.714), depression (CI = 1.469–1.983), and stress (CI = 1.483–2.006) were independently associated with higher emotional eating scores (≥66.7) in multiple regression analyses. Based on the significant associations found, the importance of integrating mental health support and intervention strategies, such as psychological counseling and nutritional guidance, to mitigate emotional eating among university students is highlighted, along with the need for future studies to explore the causal relationships.

Keywords: Brazil; college students; eating behavior; mental disorders (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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