Academic stress is associated with emotional eating behavior among postgraduate students

BACKGROUND: Academic stress has been linked to unhealthy coping behaviors such as emotional eating. This study examined the association between academic stress and emotional eating behavior among postgraduate students at King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among a convenience sample of postgraduate students. Data were collected using an online, self-administered questionnaire that included sociodemographic characteristics, Grade Point Average (GPA), Students’ Stress Inventory (SSI), and the Emotional Eater Questionnaire (EEQ). RESULTS: The sample included 505 postgraduate students (85.9% female). Approximately 50% of participants experienced moderate academic stress, and 46% were emotional eaters. Academic stress was significantly associated with female students (P < 0.001), lower income levels (P = 0.007), and low levels of physical activity (P = 0.007). A statistically significant positive association was observed between academic stress and emotional eating (P < 0.001). Students with severe academic stress had significantly higher odds of being more severe emotional eaters (OR = 7.382, 95% CI [3.777, 14.43], P < 0.001). This association remained significant after adjusting for demographic, psychological, and lifestyle factors (adjusted OR = 6.633, 95% CI [3.294, 13.343], P < 0.001). However, the moderation analysis indicated that sex did not significantly modify the association between academic stress and emotional eating. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of implementing stress management and nutrition interventions to help postgraduate students adopt healthier coping strategies to manage academic stress.