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Relationship between food insecurity, intuitive eating, and body mass index among adults: A cross-sectional study in Türkiye
This cross-sectional study investigates the relationship between food insecurity, intuitive eating, and body mass index (BMI) among adults, conducted at a public university in Türkiye from January to March 2025. The sample consisted of 1166 participants (65.7% women; age range: 19–64 years) who completed the Food Insecurity Experience Scale and the Intuitive Eating Scale-2, which includes subdimensions such as unconditional permission to eat, reliance on hunger and satiety cues, and body-food choice congruence. Self-reported data on body weight and height were utilized to calculate BMI.
Findings indicated that 42.7% of participants experienced food insecurity, which was significantly associated with lower scores on the total Intuitive Eating Scale-2, particularly in the areas of reliance on hunger and satiety cues, body-food choice congruence, and eating for physical rather than emotional reasons, even after controlling for sex, institutional role, and age. Notably, sex did not moderate the relationship between food insecurity and intuitive eating. Furthermore, no significant interactions were observed between the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 scores and food security status concerning BMI.
This study provides empirical evidence that food insecurity is a critical factor contributing to diminished intuitive eating practices in a sizable sample of Turkish adults. Future research should further explore the potential moderating effects of sex on this relationship while also examining the implications of food insecurity on intuitive eating habits and BMI across diverse populations. [NPID: food insecurity, intuitive eating, BMI]
Year: 2026
