Examination of the relationship between emotional intelligence and eating attitude behaviors

This study was planned and conducted to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence, eating attitude behaviors and anthropometric measurements of university students aged 18-25 without any physical or mental health problems. A total of 207 volunteers studying at Istanbul Haliç University Faculty of Health Sciences participated in the research. In this descriptive study, the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale consisting of 41 questions and the Eating Attitude Test (YTT-26) consisting of 26 questions were applied with the online questionnaire method. The mean age of the participants in the study was 21.15±1.41 and their body mass index was 22.29±3.97 kg/m2. Of the participants, 136 (65.7%) were normal, 34 (16.4%) were overweight, and 9 (4.3%) were obese. Eating attitude disorder scores of the participants in the study were found to be 9.40±7.87 on average. According to the eating attitude cut-off score, 185 people (89.4%) had normal eating attitudes; 22 people (10.6%) had impaired eating attitudes. A significant difference was found in the preoccupation with eating according to the BMI classes of the participants (χ2:23,270; p=0.000<0.05). The thin ones have a lower preoccupation with eating than the others. When the characteristics of the participants were compared according to the presence of an eating attitude disorder, a statistically significant difference was found in BMI classes (χ2:15,153; p=0.002<0.05). The rate of impaired eating attitude in overweight people is higher than in normal ones. There was a weak positive (r=0,150) relationship between the Eating Engagement and Restriction Behaviors of the participants, and a positive high-level (r=0,742) relationship between Eating Attitude Disorders. In the study, participants' Restriction behaviors and Social Pressure were moderately positive (r=0,351), Eating Attitude Disorder was moderately positive (r=0,619), Optimism was low-level with positive emotional intelligence (r=0,149), Evaluation of Emotions, a positive and weak relationship (r=0,187) was found with emotional intelligence. A positive moderate (r=0,504) relationship was found between the participants' Social Pressure and Eating Attitude Disorder scores. As a result, the development of emotional intelligence is important in displaying correct eating attitude behaviors. It is thought that the training to be given on the development of emotional intelligence and correct eating attitude behaviors is of great importance.