Determination of the relationship between mindful eating, intuitive eating behavior and mediterranean diet quality index (KIDMED) in personnel working in a public institution

This study was conducted between May and August 2023 with 312 institutional personnel, aged between 18 and 65, who worked in a public institution and volunteered to participate in the study. This study; it was conducted to determine the relationship between mindful esting, intuitive eating status and compliance with the Mediterranean diet among public personnel. Participants were asked to fill out a survey form using the face-to-face interview method. In the survey; The participants' socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle habits, and some nutritional habits were questioned and the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (YFÖ-30), Intuitive Eating Scale (IES-2) and Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) were applied. The average age of the participants was 39.2±9.83 years and 13.8% stated that they were on a diet. According to Body Mass Index (BMI) classification, 49.4% of the individuals participating in the study were normal weight and 41.7% were overweight. 73.2% of women are normal weight, 22% are overweight; 33% of men are normal weight and 55.1% are overweight. The average BMI values of women and men are 23.8±3.91 kg/m2 and 26.2±3.32 kg/m2, respectively. The mean scores of emotional eating and interference, which are sub-factors of the Mindful Eating Questionnaire, were found to be significantly higher in men than in women, and the mean scores of eating control and mindfulness in women were significantly higher than in men (p<0.05). When the Intuitive Eating Scale average scores are evaluated; among the intuitive eating sub-factors, 'eating based on hunger and satiety signals' has the highest mean score, and 'eating for physical reasons rather than emotional reasons' has the lowest mean score. When the relationship between intuitive eating and gender was evaluated, it was determined that the average score of women eating for physical rather than emotional reasons was higher than that of men (p<0.05). It was found that as the participants' adaptation to the Mediterranean diet increased, their disinhibition, emotional eating, eating control, eating discipline, mindfulness and interference scores increased (p<0.05). It was determined that as the participants' adaptation to the Mediterranean diet increased, their eating according to hunger-satiety signals, body-food choice suitability and Intuitive Eating Scale scores increased, and the unconditional eating permission score decreased (p<0.05). In this study, it was determined that diet quality was associated with some sub-factors of mindful eating and intuitive eating status. It has also been found that this relationship is affected by factors such as gender, BMI and age. It is thought that it would be useful to support the data obtained with studies in this field. Keywords: Mindful eating, intuitive eating behavior, Mediterranean diet.