Introduction:

Being overweight has negative implications for work productivity. Emotional intelligence and personality traits have shown differences between normal-weight and overweight people (according to BMI). However, the evidence of associations with more objective indicators, such as body fat percentage, is scarce. The objective of the study was to determine the relationship between body fat percentage, emotional intelligence, and personality traits in young workers.

Methods:

A cross-analytical study was carried out on 125 young people living in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, with a mean age of 24.6 years (SDage ± 2.6). A sociodemographic data questionnaire, the Emotional Intelligence Scale (EQ-i-M20), and the Personality Traits Inventory (BFI-15p) were used. Bioimpedance analysis (BIA) was used to quantify body fat percentage.

Results:

Both emotional intelligence and personality traits showed differences by sex. Women had lower emotional intelligence and higher neuroticism than men. Some domains of emotional intelligence, such as stress management, adaptability, and general mood, as well as neuroticism and openness traits, were identified as predictors for body fat percentage.

Conclusions:

Work environments must consider the dimensions of emotional intelligence and personality traits in planning strategies for health promotion and the prevention of diseases associated with excess weight.