Gender Differences in Diet Quality, Emotional Intelligence, and Eating Behaviors Among University Students

Poor diet quality among university students, marked by low consumption of nutritionally dense foods and high intake of processed foods, sugars, and unhealthy fats, can negatively impact cognitive and emotional functioning. These habits may affect academic performance, increase the risk of disordered eating, and harm overall well-being. Emotional intelligence (EI) plays a key role in shaping these choices. Understanding the relationship between diet quality, EI, and eating behaviors across genders is crucial for helping students make healthier decisions. Research shows that females are more likely to engage in emotional eating and disordered behaviors like binge eating and restrictive dieting, while males tend to overeat in social settings or respond to external cues. However, the relationship between these behaviors and gender differences remains underexplored, leaving a gap in our understanding of how these factors interact and influence dietary patterns in males and females. To address this gap in the literature, an anonymous survey consisting of demographic questions, the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue), and the Food Mood Questionnaire. It was completed by 1,386 participants over the age of 18, females (n = 970), and males (n = 376). The data was analyzed using Principal Component Analysis and Pearson Correlation Coefficient in SPSS 28. The results show that both males and females who consume a high-quality diet, including more dark leafy greens, whole grains, and fruits, demonstrate higher emotional intelligence, better interpersonal skills (p<0.01), and greater motivation (p<0.01). Conversely, those who consume more processed and pre-packaged foods are less likely to manage relationships effectively and show lower motivation (p<0.01). Additionally, a low-quality diet was linked to unhealthy eating behaviors, with a significant correlation found between higher consumption of processed foods and feelings of being overweight in men, but not in women (p<0.01). The results also showed that higher emotional intelligence was linked to healthier eating behaviors in both males and females. Specifically, participants who spent less time thinking about food, eating, or calories (p<0.01) were more likely to feel comfortable expressing emotions (p<0.01), manage their emotions effectively (p<0.01), and form strong bonds with others (p<0.01). These findings suggest that low diet quality is associated with emotional intelligence and eating behaviors, potentially influenced by gender, and may be explained by changes in brain chemistry and food-related stress impacting emotional regulation. In conclusion, the study highlights that diet quality is closely linked to emotional intelligence and eating behaviors, with gender differences playing a potential moderating role in how these factors interact and impact emotional well-being. This abstract was presented at the American Physiology Summit 2025 and is only available in HTML format. There is no downloadable file or PDF version. The Physiology editorial board was not involved in the peer review process.