The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated economic stressors have profoundly reshaped consumer eating behaviors, presenting an urgent and underexplored challenge for the academic community. This interdisciplinary review critically examines how these disruptions have influenced both food approach and food avoidance patterns, offering a structured analysis of eight key behavioral parameters: Hunger (H), Food Responsiveness (FR), Emotional Overeating (EOE), Enjoyment of Food (EF), Satiety Responsiveness (SR), Emotional Under Eating (EUE), Food Fussiness (FF), and Slowness in Eating (SE). Drawing on recent literature, we highlight significant shifts in these traits—such as heightened hedonic hunger, age-related changes in food preferences, and gender-specific emotional-satiety dynamics—underscoring the complex interplay between emotional states, physiological cues, and behavioral tendencies. Grounded in the systematic examination of peer-reviewed studies in the post-COVID period, this review offers a robust and comprehensive synthesis of current evidence. The novelty of this work lies in its integration of findings into targeted proposition statements for each parameter, visually supported by original flow charts. These culminate in the development of a “Consumers’ Eating Behavior Index”—a conceptual tool designed to guide researchers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers in understanding and responding to post-pandemic dietary transformations. By emphasizing the emotional and psychological dimensions of eating, this index offers a timely framework for designing tailored public health interventions that promote sustainable nutritional habits. This study calls for renewed academic attention to the behavioral consequences of global crises, positioning eating behavior research as a critical frontier in post-COVID recovery and resilience.

Background: Building on our previous systematic review that synthesized eight core sustainable appetitive traits central to food behavior research, the present study extends this framework through an empirical investigation of Generation Z university students in Greece. We have established the conceptual foundation by mapping emotional, sensory, and behavioral regulation drivers of eating behavior, underscoring their relevance for nutrition and sustainability. However, empirical applications of this multidimensional framework to Generation Z remained scarce. Objectives: This study addresses this gap by examining eating behaviors among approximately 800 students at the University of Ioannina using a validated post-pandemic questionnaire. Methods & Results: Results revealed heterogeneity across six domains, with consensus observed only in sensory-driven eating (M = 3.88) and openness to new foods (M = 4.00). Cluster analysis identified two distinct profiles: Exploratory and Hedonic Responders and Emotionally Regulated and Satiety-Oriented Responders. These clusters delineate a novel profile of Generation Z, portraying them as digitally immersed, sustainability-oriented, and emotionally sensitive, yet divided between impulsive exploration and regulated satiety. Conclusions: The study contributes new empirical insights into post-pandemic food behavior. It establishes a comprehensive evidence base for designing culturally sensitive wellness programs and targeted nutritional interventions that support sustainable dietary practices. The continuity between the two papers underscores both theoretical importance and the practical necessity of integrating emotional, sensory, and regulatory dimensions in advancing sustainable eating futures among young adults.

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 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.

Building on our previous systematic review that synthesized eight core sustainable appetitive traits central to food behavior research, the present study extends this framework through an empirical investigation of Generation Z university students in Greece. We have established the conceptual foundation by mapping emotional, sensory, and behavioral regulation drivers of eating behavior, underscoring their relevance for nutrition and sustainability. However, empirical applications of this multidimensional framework to Generation Z remained scarce. This study addresses this gap by examining eating behaviors among approximately 800 students at the University of Ioannina using a validated post pandemic questionnaire. Results revealed heterogeneity across six domains, with consensus observed only in sensory driven eating (M = 3.88) and openness to new foods (M = 4.00). Cluster analysis identified two distinct profiles: Exploratory and Hedonic Responders and Emotionally Regulated and Satiety Oriented Responders. These clusters delineate a novel profile of Generation Z, portraying them as digitally immersed, sustainability oriented, and emotionally sensitive, yet divided between impulsive exploration and regulated satiety. The study contributes new empirical insights into post pandemic food behavior. It establishes a comprehensive evidence base for designing culturally sensitive wellness programs and targeted nutritional interventions that support sustainable dietary practices. The continuity between the two papers underscores both theoretical importance and the practical necessity of integrating emotional, sensory, and regulatory dimensions in advancing sustainable eating futures among young adults.

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.