The Relationship between Adults’ Perceptions, Attitudes of COVID-19, Intuitive Eating, and Mindful Eating Behaviors

Abstract

ABSTRACT In total, 1224 Turkish adults (27.5 ± 9.6 years; 80.6% female) answered sociodemographic questions, and three instruments: Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ), Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2), and COVID-19 Perception and Attitude Scale. Women’s perceptions and attitudes toward COVID-19 indicated higher concerns than men (p < .001). It was found that IES-2 scores of all subjects increased as body mass index (BMI) decreased and education level increased (p < .001; p = .033, respectively). During the social isolation of COVID-19, the MEQ scores of married couples and those who did not eat take-out foods were higher (p = .027; p = .006, respectively). Interestingly, it was found that as the BMI of the subjects increased, their MEQ scores increased (p < .001). The COVID-19 pandemic, which has social and economic consequences, has a great impact on human health and causes sudden lifestyle changes through social distance and isolation at home. Although social isolation during the epidemic is a necessary precaution to protect public health, the results of this study support that it causes changes in intuitive eating, and mindful eating behaviors.