Emotional exhaustion as a predictor of eating habits in university students

Estrada-Araoz E.G.; Bautista-Quispe J.A.; Coronado-Chalco J.L.; Chura-Quispe G.; Cruz-Huisa R.M.; Yabar-Miranda P.S.; Roque-Huanca E.O. · Gaceta Medica de Caracas (2025) · DOI: 10.47307/gmc.2025.133.4.15

Resumen

Introduction: University life involves multiple academic, social, and personal demands that generate high levels of pressure and may contribute to the onset of emotional exhaustion. This problem, in addition to affecting mental health and academic performance, could also influence eating habits, a key component of students’overall well-being. Objective: To determine whether emotional exhaustion predicts eating habits in university students from the Peruvian Amazon. Methods: Quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, and predictive study. The sample consisted of 271 university students selected through a probabilistic sampling method. The Emotional Exhaustion Scale and the Eating Habits Questionnaire were administered, both of which have adequate psychometric properties. Descriptive statistics, Student’s t-test, Pearson’s correlation, and simple linear regression were performed. Results: Women reported higher levels of emotional exhaustion than men. Moreover, a negative and significant correlation was found between emotional exhaustion and eating habits (r =-0.388; p < 0.01). Similarly, the linear regression analysis indicated that emotional exhaustion negatively predicts eating habits (β =-0.388; p < 0.01), explaining 14.7 % of the variability (adjusted R² = 0.147). Finally, the Durbin-Watson statistics (1.959) confirmed the independence of residuals. Conclusions: Emotional exhaustion is a significant predictor of eating habits in university students from the Peruvian Amazon. Higher levels of emotional exhaustion are associated with less healthy eating practices, highlighting the need for preventive programs that integrate psychological care and nutritional education within the university setting.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional del Altiplano; Universidad Nacional Amazónica de Madre de Dios; Escuela de Posgrado Newman