Childhood emotional maltreatment is linked to healthy dietary behavior through depression, anxiety, and subjective well-being

This research investigated how childhood emotional maltreatment (CEM) is associated with healthy dietary behavior among university students and explored whether emotional distress and subjective well-being (SWB) serve as intermediary variables in these associations. A cross-sectional design was applied, involving 3,007 university students recruited between October and December 2024. Key measures included CEM, depression, anxiety, SWB, and healthy dietary behavior. Correlation analysis was performed to identify associations among variables, and a chain mediation model was tested using the PROCESS macro for SPSS (Model 80). CEM showed positive links with depression (r = 0.356) and anxiety (r = 0.371), but negative links with SWB (r = -0.317) and dietary quality (r = -0.217). Both depression and anxiety were inversely related to SWB (r = -0.386; r = -0.378) and healthy dietary behavior (r = -0.210; r = -0.206), while depression and anxiety were strongly correlated with each other (r = 0.785). In contrast, SWB was positively associated with healthy dietary behavior (r = 0.185). Mediation testing indicated that emotional distress and SWB partly explained the pathway between CEM and healthy dietary behavior. The findings highlight potential psychological associations between adverse childhood experiences and eating behaviors. Addressing emotional difficulties and promoting SWB may be valuable directions for dietary and mental health programs targeting university students. This study provides theoretical implications and practical references for university mental health services and nutrition education initiatives.