Evaluation of the relationship between intuitive eating, mindful eating, body weight, and eating disorders: path analysis research on future health professionals


Meriç Ç. S., YABANCI AYHAN N.

International Journal of Environmental Health Research, cilt.35, sa.8, ss.2266-2275, 2025 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 35 Sayı: 8
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/09603123.2025.2492362
  • Dergi Adı: International Journal of Environmental Health Research
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, PASCAL, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, Educational research abstracts (ERA), EMBASE, Environment Index, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, Geobase, MEDLINE, Pollution Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.2266-2275
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: BMI, eating disorder, intuitive eating, mindful eating, nutrition
  • Ankara Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Intuitive and mindful eating are included in the current literature as two adaptable, current, and positive eating styles. This descriptive-cross-sectional study included 689 university students. The questionnaire form consists of the nutritional habits and anthropometric measurements of university students, “Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ)”, “Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2)”, “Eating Attitudes Test-Short Form (EAT-26)”, and the “International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF)”. About 70.4% of participants with a mean age of 19.76 ± 1.32 years were classified as “normal” according to BMI; the mean BMI was 21.9 ± 3.2 kg/m2. IES-2 and MEQ scores of overweight/obese students are lower than those of underweight and normal-weight students (p < 0.01). A strong negative correlation exists between BMI, MEQ (r = −.134), IES-2 (r = −.353), and IPAQ-SF (r = −.127), and a strong positive correlation with EAT-26 (r =.209; p < 0.01). Standardized coefficients in the path model between IES and BMI (β= −0.314, R = −.167, p < 0.01), EAT (β= −0.221, R = −3.32, p < 0.01), MEQ (β = 0.304, R = 0.188, p < 0.01) indicate that intuitive eating significantly affects the BMI, eating attitudes, and mindful eating. Intuitive eating and mindful eating may be a promising, holistic, and long-term treatment approach for future health professionals by integrating traditional body weight management strategies.