The effects of work-life balance on Mediterranean diet quality, ultra-processed food consumption, and physical activity among white-collar workers

The study was conducted with white-collar employees aged 18–60 years residing in Istanbul, using a descriptive and cross-sectional design. With a 5% margin of error and 95% confidence interval, the minimum sample size was determined as 384, and the study was completed with 400 participants. Data were collected online using the "New Work-Life Balance Scale," the "Ultra-Processed Food Consumption Questionnaire," the "14-Item Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener," the "IPAQ-Short Form," and the "24-Hour Dietary Recall." Analyses were performed with SPSS v30.0. The mean age of participants was 35.2±10.5 years, and 65.8% were female. The mean scores were as follows: Work-Life Balance Scale 49.21±9.94, Mediterranean Diet Adherence Score 6.85±2.50, Ultra-Processed Food Consumption 6.78±3.08, and IPAQ total MET 2440.09±2989.95. No significant differences were found between genders in work-life balance, Mediterranean diet adherence, or ultra-processed food consumption, whereas men reported significantly higher physical activity levels than women (p<0.05). Work-life balance scores were positively associated with Mediterranean diet adherence and negatively associated with ultra-processed food consumption (p<0.05). Regarding marital status, married employees had higher work-life balance and Mediterranean diet adherence scores compared to single employees (p<0.05). Participants working less than 8 hours per day had significantly higher work-life balance scores and sub-dimensions than those working longer hours (p<0.05). In addition, individuals who used their breaks only for eating had higher ultra-processed food consumption scores compared to those who rested after meals or engaged in short walks (p<0.05). In conclusion, work-life balance was found to have a decisive impact on healthy eating habits and physical activity. Accordingly, it is recommended to implement flexible working models, promote active break practices, adapt workplace food policies to the Mediterranean diet, and expand gender-focused health programs. These strategies may enhance the quality of life of white-collar employees.