Introduction:
Stress, understood as the body’s response to external stimuli perceived as demanding or threatening, constitutes an inherent element of human life. One of the domains strongly influenced by stress is eating behavior. Stress not only affects food preferences but may also lead to disturbances in dietary patterns, such as excessive overeating, emotional eating, or neglecting regular meals. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between stress-coping styles and unhealthy eating behaviors among young adults.

Material and methods:
The research instrument consisted of a questionnaire composed of two parts: the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations and an author-designed dietary questionnaire. The study sample included 100 participants aged 18–35 years. Questionnaire data were processed using Microsoft Office Excel. Statistical analyses (chi-square test and ANOVA) were conducted using Statistica 13 (StatSoft), with the level of statistical significance set at α = 0.05.

Results:
Participants characterized by an emotion-focused coping style demonstrated the highest intensity of unhealthy eating behaviors, including compulsive eating. The avoidant coping style was primarily associated with skipping meals and mindless eating, whereas the task-oriented coping style showed the weakest association with maladaptive eating habits. Furthermore, women more frequently than men exhibited an emotion-focused coping style and experienced greater difficulties in controlling their eating behavior. Younger participants were more prone to unhealthy eating habits compared to older individuals in the study.

Conclusions:
The study highlights the role of psychological stress-coping mechanisms in shaping eating behaviors. The findings can inform preventive and educational interventions aimed at promoting healthy coping strategies, particularly among young adults and women.