SUMMARY
Background. In recent years, changes observed in eating behaviors have highlighted the increasing influence of the social environment, psychological strain, and informational exposure on dietary habits. Investigating this topic is timely in terms of scientifically assessing the social and psychological factors that shape eating behaviors within the national context and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Objective. The aim of this study is to identify the structure of social and psychological factors that shape eating behaviors in Azerbaijan. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted with 320 respondents aged 18–65 years, representing diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of 34 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with Varimax rotation was applied for factor analysis. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25 and Python. Results. The findings identified four main factors influencing eating behaviors: psychological factors (emotional eating, stress, self-criticism); healthy eating behavior (balanced diet, consumption of fruits and vegetables); unhealthy habits (fast-food consumption, sugary drinks); and social influence (social media, body image pressures). These four factors explain 65.7% of the total variance. A positive correlation was observed between psychological factors and unhealthy habits (r=0.64), as well as a moderate association between social influence and psychological factors (r=0.48). Conclusion. This study demonstrates that eating behaviors in Azerbaijan are shaped by the interaction of social and psychological factors. Social media and body image pressures, along with emotional state and stress, have a significant impact on eating behaviors. These findings provide important insights for the development of future intervention and prevention programs. The results identify key social and psychological factors that should be considered to enhance the effectiveness of public health interventions.
Keywords: eating behaviors, emotional eating, body image

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