Emotional Eating and Body Misperception Among Dental Students From Romania–Implications for Targeted Interventions

Abstract

Background and Aims

Emotional eating and body weight misperception are significant public health issues, particularly among young adults. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of emotional eating and body misperception among dental students and explore the associations between emotional eating, body misperception, and sociodemographic factors.

Methods

Utilizing the Emotional Eating Questionnaire and Pictorial Body Image Instrument, the study involved 300 dental students, of which 21.6% were male, with an obesity prevalence of 9.7%.

Results

We found a high prevalence of emotional eating, with 58.3% of students falling into emotional and very emotional eating categories. Univariate analysis revealed that female students exhibited higher emotional eating scores and stress levels compared to males. Additionally, 34.3% of students misclassified their body weight, with 24.0% overestimating and 10.3% underestimating their weight. The multivariate model identified significant associations between high emotional eating scores and female gender (OR = 5.488, 95% CI: 2.340–12.873), body perception discrepancies, and BMI (OR = 1.194, 95% CI: 1.115–1.279), while controlling for age, perceived health status, and stress. Perceiving oneself as heavier than actual weight significantly increased the odds of high emotional eating (OR = 2.976, 95% CI: 1.623–5.456).

Conclusion

This study underscores the importance of addressing emotional eating and body weight misperception among dental students to promote healthier eating behaviors, achieve leaner body mass, improve mental health, and enhance overall well-being.