Investigation of the relationships between mindfulness, emotional eating, weight control self-efficacy, and obesity in adolescents

Abstract

PurposeThis research was conducted to examine the relationships between mindfulness, emotional eating, weight control self-efficacy, and obesity in adolescents. Design and methodsThe research was conducted with 198 adolescents aged 13–18 years in three high schools in the central county of a province in Türkiye. Data were collected using a sociodemographic information form, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale–Adolescents, the Emotional Eating Scale for Children and Adolescents, and the Weight-Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire for Adolescents–Short Form. In this study, adolescents' height and weight were measured to determine the effects of the study variables on their body mass indexes (BMIs). ResultsThe variables were analyzed according to BMI. The mean age of the adolescents participating in the research was 15.25 ± 1.01 years; 52% were female, and 85% were ninth-grade high school students. Their mean height was 170.33 ± 8.59 cm, and their mean weight was 62.24 ± 12.84 kg. The adolescents' BMI was found to have a low-level, significant negative correlation with their mindfulness, a low-level, significant positive correlation with their emotional eating, and a low-level significant negative correlation with their weight control self-efficacy. Adolescents' mindfulness, emotional eating, and weight control self-efficacy scores significantly predicted their BMI and explained 14.1% of the variance in their BMI levels. ConclusionsMindfulness, emotional eating, and weight control self-efficacy in adolescents have a facilitating effect on the management of obesity. Implications to practiceMultidimensional programs should be developed that take into account the interaction of parents, children, and the environment, which will pave the way for the development of healthy nutrition behaviors and contribute to the prevention of obesity.