(P13-010-25) Gender Differences in Diet Quality, Emotional Intelligence, and Eating Behaviors

Objectives: Disordered eating, emotional intelligence (EI), and diet quality are interconnected factors influenced by gender. Poor diet quality, or the lack of consumption of nutritionally dense foods, can modulate one’s brain chemistry and exhibit negative effects on cognitive functioning. Research indicates that females often report higher rates of disordered eating and emotional awareness, while males exhibit distinct patterns in coping and diet quality. This study examines gender differences in these domains, emphasizing the importance of tailored interventions to address and understand these variations in health behaviors.

Methods: An anonymous survey which consisted of demographic questions, the Eating Questionnaire, the Trail Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, and the Food Mood Questionnaire was completed by 1,386 participants over the age of 18, females (n= 970), and males (n=376). The data was analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Pearson Correlation Coefficient in SPSS 28. PCA was performed on the data set to identify the gender difference patterns. Three components described three different gender-based patterns: PC1 investigated disordered eating behavior, PC2 emotional intelligence traits, and PC3 dietary patterns.

Results: In men, disordered eating was tied to lower emotional intelligence (EI) and lack of exercise. Healthy eating coexisted with overeating episodes but was also correlated with avoiding extreme disordered behaviors and motivation. Whereas in women, disordered eating also correlated with lower emotional intelligence (EI) and lack of exercise, along with skipping breakfast.

Conclusions: These findings support the notion that gender demonstrates an influence on the interconnection of an individual’s emotional intelligence, diet quality, and eating behaviors. This dynamic further brings attention to the importance of including gender differences when personalizing nutrition programs to improve eating behaviors.

Funding Sources: This research had no funding sources.