Keywords
Emotional eating
College students
Dietary behavior
Health promotion
Submitted : 2026-01-26
Accepted : 2026-02-10
Published : 2026-02-25
Abstract
Against the backdrop of the “Healthy China 2030” initiative, which emphasizes promoting healthy lifestyles and dietary behaviors, this paper explores the phenomenon of emotional eating among college students. As future societal pillars, college students face multifaceted pressures (academic, interpersonal, and employment-related) that can trigger emotional fluctuations and subsequently influence their eating behaviors. Given their representative status as a distinctive social group, studying their emotional eating patterns is crucial. This research aims to provide deeper insights into the causes, manifestations, and potential guidance strategies for such behaviors among youth, thereby offering theoretical and practical implications for advancing the Healthy China strategy.
References
“Healthy China 2030” Plan Outline, 2016, China Association for Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Promotion, Proceedings of the National Academic Conference on TCM in Preventive Medicine, Health Preservation and Rehabilitation and the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Journal and Book Editing and Information Professional Committee. Xinhua News Agency, 20–36.
This newsletter, 2025, The Office of the National Nutrition and Health Steering Committee Issued the Core Information of “Healthy Diet and Reasonable Diet.” Shanghai Nursing, 25(6): 37.
Ma R, 2024, From Dietary Changes to Social Transformation, Minzu Daily, September 26, 2024, (001).
Sevinçer GM, Konuk N, 2013, Emotional Eating. Journal Of Mood Disorders, (4): 171–178.
Charcopa LAS, Brand C, Fochesatto CF, et al., 2025, Unveiling the Association Between Emotional Eating and Psychosocial Health in Spanish Adolescents: The EHDLA Study. Pediatric Obesity, 2025: e70056.
Hooper MA, Dixit U, Ahlich E, et al., 2025, Development and Preliminary Validation of the Comprehensive Emotional Eating Scale (CEES). Appetite, 209: 107969.
De Young KP, Evelyna KP, Bottera AR, et al., 2022, Development and Validation of a Scale for the Tendency to Exercise in Response to Mood, Eating, and Body Image Cues: The Reactive Exercise Scale (RES). Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, 27(8): 3317–3330.
Wang L, Jing Y, Song S, 2025, The Influence of Parental Control on Emotional Eating Among College Students: The Mediating Role of Emotional Experience and Regulation. Nutrients, 17(17): 2756–2756.
Smirnov V, Popov S, Khramova D, et al., 2025, Negative Emotional Eating Behaviour Is Associated With Decreased Masticatory Function. Journal of oral rehabilitation, 52(12): 2342–2350.
Mikhail ME, Culbert KM, Keel PK, et al., 2025, Within-Person Changes in Daily Ovarian Hormone Levels Influence Genetic Effects on Emotional Eating in Women. The International journal of eating disorders, 58(12): 2352–2365.
Xu C, 2014, The Impact of Emotional States on Food Intake in Restricted-Eating Subtypes, dissertation, Southwest University.
Jin M, Yu M, Wang H, 2016, Reliability and Validity Testing of the Emotional Eating Scale Among College Students: A Case Study of Huangshan University. Journal of Chongqing University of Arts and Science (Social Sciences Edition), 35(01): 149–153.
Chen G, Cai T, Hu F, et al., 2013, Revision of the Emotional Eating Scale in Chinese Adolescents. China Journal of Clinical Psychology, 21(04): 572–575 + 588.
Zhao Y, Liu S, 2017, Mindfulness and Emotional Eating: The Mediating Role of Self-Estimation. China Journal of Health Psychology, 25(06): 929–932.
Qin W, Miao Z, Liu Y, et al., 2025, The Impact of Stress Perception on Emotional Eating Among Military Academy Cadets: Chain Mediation Through Anxiety and Sleep Quality. Journal of Air Force Medical University, 46(05): 633–638.
Liu X, Zhang W, Yue W, et al., 2023, The Impact of Internalized Weight Discrimination on Emotional Eating in Obese Patients Undergoing Sleeve Gastrectomy. Journal of Nursing, 38(11): 84–87.
Wang Q, 2013, A Study on the Relationship between College Students’ Body Self-Presentation Confidence, Social Body Anxiety and Eating Behavior, dissertation, Henan University.
Li C, Sun X, 2022, Cross-Lagged Analysis of Career Anxiety and Emotional Eating in Impoverished College Students. Heilongjiang Higher Education Research, 40(03): 105–109.
Yang S, Zhang B, Yu J, et al., 2021, Factors Influencing Emotional Overeating Behavior in College Students in Anhui Province. China School Health, 42(01): 65–68 + 72.
Xi B, 2025, Investigation and Analysis of College Students’ Nutritional Knowledge and Healthy Eating Behaviors. Food Safety Guide, 19(25): 167–169.
Tian Y, Ye N, Huang X, 2025, Research on the Current Status and Improvement Strategies of Mental Health Among College Students. Cai Zhi, (24): 108–111.
Li C, 2022, Research on Student Psychological Counseling in the New Era. Qin Zhi, (09): 112–114.