Background: Emotional determinants of eating behavior are increasingly recognized as critical components of behavioral nutrition, particularly among Generation Z, a population characterized by heightened emotional reactivity and rapidly shifting dietary patterns. Objectives: This cross-sectional study examined the multidimensional structure of emotional influences on eating behavior among 411 university students in Greece and explored which emotional mechanisms are most closely associated with emotional hunger awareness. Methods: Using the Emotional Influence on Eating Behavior Questionnaire (EIEBQ), four constructs were assessed. Exploratory Factor Analysis supported a refined four-factor structure explaining 63.23% of variance, following the removal of one low-communality item. Results: Participants reported moderate emotional undereating (M = 3.17) and reduced enjoyment of food under emotional distress (M = 3.38), lower reliance on food for emotional overeating (M = 2.86), and high emotional awareness (M = 3.76). Regression analyses, although explaining a small proportion of variance (R² = 0.042), indicated that emotional undereating (β = 0.155, p = 0.017) and emotional overeating (β = 0.135, p = 0.027) were the most consistent predictors of emotional hunger awareness. Conclusions: These findings suggest that emotional responses—rather than cognitive appraisal—may play a meaningful role in distinguishing emotional from physical hunger. By providing an initial psychometric evaluation and a behavior-focused framework, this study offers preliminary insights into emotional eating mechanisms among Generation Z university students and contributes to the development of targeted interventions promoting healthier and more sustainable dietary behaviors.

Background: Eating-rate regulation is a multidimensional behavioral process shaped by oral-processing dynamics, interoceptive cues, sensory engagement, and contextual influences. Despite its relevance, no validated self-report instrument currently assesses these mechanisms. Methods: The Food Consumption Rate Questionnaire (FCRQ) was developed as a behaviorally informed tool for measuring eating-rate regulation. Item generation followed a theory-driven process supported by expert review, forward–backward translation, and pilot testing. Structural validity was examined through Exploratory Factor Analysis (Principal Axis Factoring, Promax rotation) and a theory-driven Confirmatory Factor Analysis evaluating the proposed four-domain model. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s α and corrected item–total correlations. Behavioral heterogeneity was explored using hierarchical and k-means cluster analysis. Results: A clear four-factor structure emerged—Slowness, Awareness of Eating Rate, External Factors, and Awareness & Enjoyment—explaining 42.77% of the variance. CFA indicated acceptable model fit (CFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.91, RMSEA = 0.052), supporting the adequacy of the theoretical structure. Reliability indices were consistent with the multidimensional nature of the construct. All four domains were positively correlated. Cluster analysis identified distinct behavioral profiles, illustrating the instrument’s discriminative capacity. Conclusions: The FCRQ provides the first behaviorally informed, psychometrically evaluated framework for assessing eating-rate regulation. The instrument demonstrates a coherent theoretical structure, satisfactory early-stage validity, and the ability to differentiate meaningful behavioral patterns. Continued refinement and validation across diverse populations will further establish the FCRQ as a robust measure for behavioral-nutrition research and practice.

Background: Eating rate is increasingly recognized as a behavioral determinant linked to appetite regulation, sensory exposure, satiety responsiveness, and long term dietary patterns. However, no validated instrument currently assesses the behavioral and environmental mechanisms shaping consumption tempo. Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted among university students (N = 555). The 20 item Food Consumption Rate Questionnaire (FCRQ) was developed through expert review, forward–backward translation, and pilot testing. Structural validity was examined using Exploratory Factor Analysis (Principal Axis Factoring, Promax rotation), and internal consistency was assessed via Cronbach’s α and corrected item–total correlations. Behavioral heterogeneity was explored using hierarchical and k means cluster analysis. Results: A clear four factor structure emerged—Slowness, Awareness, External Factors, and Enjoyment—explaining 42.77% of the variance after extraction. Reliability indices varied across domains, reflecting the multidimensional nature of eating rate regulation. All four dimensions were positively correlated (r = .146–.306). Cluster analysis identified four distinct behavioral profiles: mindful slow enjoyment eaters, moderate balanced eaters, fast low enjoyment eaters, and externally driven high awareness eaters. Conclusions: The FCRQ provides the first psychometrically grounded framework for assessing the behavioral and environmental determinants of eating rate among young adults. By capturing multidimensional patterns and identifying preliminary behavioral subgroups, the instrument offers valuable potential for future research, public health strategies, and interventions promoting healthier, more mindful, and more sustainable eating practices.