Investigation of mindful eating, nutritional knowledge level and nutrient intake in adults

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between mindful eating and nutritional knowledge level, food intake in adults. A total of 332 adults, 205 women and 127 men, between ages of 19-45 were included in this study. The daily portion amounts consumed by individuals from foods in four food groups, body weight, height, waist circumference values based on the statement, information on the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ-30) and Nutrition Knowledge Level Scale (NKL) scores were collected through an online survey. As a result of this study, while MEQ-30 score of individuals didn't differ according to gender, emotional eating score in men, eating control and conscious nutrition score in women were found significantly higher (p<0,05). NKL score was significantly higher in women than men (p<0,01). As the age increased emotional eating and disinhibition scores increased (p<0,05). MEQ-30 score was significantly higher in weak individuals than in obese (p<0,05). As the MEQ-30 score increased body weight, waist circumference, BMI and waist/height ratio significantly decreased (p<0,01). As the NKL score increased MEQ-30 score (r=0,141, p<0,05), eating control score (r=0,186, p<0,01) were weakly; eating dicipline score (r=0,320, p<0,01) moderately increased. As the total portion amount of milk group foods increased eating dicipline score increased (r=0,160, p<0,01). There was a negative, significant relationship between total portion amount of bread-cereal group foods and all sub-factors except mindfulness and interference, and MEQ-30 score (p<0,05). The models obtained for the regression analysis gave significant results on the MEQ-30 score. According to this, 7,4% of the variance in the MEQ-30 score was total portion amount of bread-cereal, vegetable-fruit groups; 8,5% chocolate, biscuit/cookies, oil consumption amount; 7,8% BMI; 2,0% NKL score explaned. It has been concluded that mindful eating could contribute to choosing healthy foods and providing portion control. Informing the society about mindful eating along with nutrition knowledge might be beneficial for body weight management.