Intuitive Eating Scale-2 Research Articles

Analysis of heterogeneity in consumer attitudes based on the Intuitive Eating Scale-2

Intuitive eating, as a special form of conscious eating based on internal instincts, has been the subject of several studies so far, and there is ongoing scientific interest in the topic. At the same time, few studies have been conducted on a Hungarian sample. The aim of this study is to verify the structural validity of the Intuitive Eating Scale 2, based on a Hungarian sample of 990 participants, representative in terms of gender, age, and settlement. Another goal is to explore whether clusters that characterize the Hungarian population can be developed with IES2. To examine the objectives, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and latent profile analysis (LPA) were conducted. According to our results, with respect to Hungary, each of four subscales can be applied with adequate reliability. Well-separated clusters emerged, including the following eating habits: 'Inner Cue Ignorers', 'Emotional Eaters', 'Intuitive Eaters' and 'Disinterested Eaters'.

Measurement invariance of the Intuitive Eating Scale–2 across country, ethnicity, sex, and sexual orientation: A cross-cultural study between Brazil and the U.S.

Intuitive eating is defined as being connected to internal hunger, satiety, and appetitive cues and flexibly using these cues to determine when, what, and how much to eat. The Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) is a widely used measure of facets of intuitive eating. However, the scale has shown unstable factor structure in several validation studies and there is a lack of studies investigating the measurement invariance of the IES-2 beyond sex. We aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the IES-2, testing several factor structures among Brazilian and U.S. samples of men and women; to test measurement invariance across country of origin, ethnicity, sex, and sexual orientation; and to evaluate its internal consistency. Three models of the latent structure of the IES-2 were tested using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) in a total of 1072 young adults (452 Brazilians and 620 Americans), aged 18–35 years. Results demonstrated that only a 3-factor solution with 11 items of the IES-2 showed adequate fit to the data for both countries. This model demonstrated scalar invariance across sex and sexual orientation, but only configural invariance was found across country of origin and ethnicity. Good internal consistencies were found for both the Brazilian and American samples. The present study provides support for a 3-factor solution with 11 items of the IES-2, to Brazilian and American samples. The study also offers evidence of internal consistency, and invariance between sex (i.e., male and female) and sexual orientation (i.e., heterosexual participants and sexual minority participants).

Intuitive eating in the COVID-19 era: a study with university students in Brazil

BackgroundThe recurrence of weight gain is attributed to the homeostatic regulation of hunger and satiety signals, influenced by metabolic state, nutrient availability, and non-homeostatic mechanisms shaped by reinforced consequences from experiences. In response, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch proposed Intuitive Eating (IE) in 1980, countering restrictive diets. IE, inversely correlated with Body Mass Index (BMI), binge eating, and anxiety/depression symptoms, fosters mind–body-food harmony by recognizing hunger and satiety cues. IE encourages meeting physiological, not emotional, needs, permitting unconditional eating, and relying on internal signals for food decisions. Amidst university students’ stress, exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding their eating behavior, particularly intuitive eating levels, becomes crucial.ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the IE level of Brazilian students during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThis cross-sectional study, the first to analyze the Intuitive Eating of students in Brazil during the pandemic, was conducted using an online questionnaire.ResultsThe sample comprised 1335 students, most of whom were women (82.17%), with a mean age of 26.12 ± 7.9 years, and a healthy nutritional status (57.58%). The mean IE score was 3.2 ± 0.6. A significant association was found between the confinement situation, the type of housing unit, and the IE subscale-Unconditional Permission to Eat (p = 0.043). However, there was no association between the other subscales and the total IE scale. Regarding self-reported mental and eating disorders, the most frequent were anxiety (21.2%), depression (6.5%), and binge eating disorder (BED) (4.7%). IE was negatively associated with BED (B = − 0.66; p < .001), bulimia nervosa (B = − 0.58; p < .001), body mass index (BMI) (p < .001) and self-reported anxiety (B = − .102; p = 0.16). The male sex showed a higher IE score compared with the female sex (p < .001).ConclusionWhile no significant association was found between IE and the confinement situation, a significant association was found between housing type and the Unconditional Permission to Eat subscale.

Determining the relationship between physical activity and intuitive eating and mindful eating in university students

In this study, it was aimed to determine the relationship between physical activity and intuitive eating (IE) and mindful eating (ME) in university students. The “International Physical Activity Short Form”, “Mindful Eating Test (MET)” and “Intuitive Eating Scale (IES)” were applied by questioning the demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, health information and nutritional habits of 255 university students studying in Health and Sports sciences. Among the students whose mean age is 20.34±2.06, 86.7% of the students who are in health science are female, and 67.7% of them, who are in sports sciences are male (p&amp;lt;0.05). Students (51.4%) with normal Body Mass Index (BMI) consume three main meals and go on a diet for aesthetic reasons. Eating discipline (ED), emotional eating (EE), and intuitive eating total (IET) scores are higher in females, while control of eating (EC) scores are higher in males (p&amp;lt;0.05). Intuitive eating total score, reliance on hunger and satiety cues (RHSC), unconditional permission to eat (UPE) and EC cores are positively related to BMI. Students who are physically inactive have higher IET score, RHSC, body-food choice congruence, focusing and ED, and those who do adequate physical activity have higher eating control scores (p&amp;lt;0.05). Mindful eating total score and sub-dimensions are positively correlated with the score of all sub-dimensions except UPE, which is one of the sub-dimensions of IE (p&amp;lt;0.05). In addition, as the UPE score increases, the total scores of disinhibitions, ED, focusing, interference, EE, and ME decrease (p&amp;lt;0.05). In conclusion, ME and IE are positively related to each other. It is understood that adequate and balanced nutrition along with being physically active at the same time is quite important for younger individuals to be healthier.

Intuitive eating, diet quality, and nutritional status of vulnerable children living separated from their families: A pilot study

AbstractNutritional problems can be seen in children living separated from their families. This cross-sectional pilot study aimed to evaluate intuitive eating, diet quality, and nutritional status of children living separated from their families. A total of 55 adolescent girls aged 12–18 years participated in the study. Anthropometric measurements, biochemical data, and 24-h dietary recall data were collected. The Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) and the Turkish version of the Healthy Lifestyle-Diet (HLD-TR) index were used. Participants were divided into two groups according to their scores on the diet quality index using the 50th percentile. Group 1 consisted of participants with a score of 25 points or less, and Group 2 consisted of participants with a score above 25 points. Waist circumference (72.0 (66–83), 65.0 (60–77)) was significantly higher in Group 1 (P &lt; 0.05). IES–2 score (3.05 (2.85–3.40), 3.30 (3.12–3.90)) and two sub–factors; reliance in hunger and satiety cues (2.80 (1.80–3.40), 4.00 (2.60–4.60)) and body–food choice congruence (2.50 (2.00–3.50), 3.50 (3.00–4.50)) were higher in Group 2 (P &lt; 0.05). After adjustment for body mass index, age, and energy intake, there was a significant positive correlation between IES-2 and HLD-TR scores (P = 0.029). In conclusion, it may be advantageous to resort to strategies that promote intuitive eating to reduce obesity and associated problems in this vulnerable group.

The Intuitive Eating Scale-3: Development and psychometric evaluation

Intuitive eating has been found to protect against disordered eating and preserve well-being. Yet, there are methodological (length), conceptual (inconsideration of medical, value-based, and access-related reasons for food consumption), and psychometric (item wording) concerns with its most common measure, the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2). To address these concerns, we developed the IES-3 and investigated its psychometric properties with U.S. community adults. Across three online studies, we evaluated the IES-3's factorial validity using exploratory factor analysis (EFA; Study 1; N = 957; Mage = 36.30), as well as confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), bifactor-CFA, and bifactor-ESEM (Study 2; N = 1152; Mage = 40.95), and cross-validated the optimal model (Study 3; N = 884; Mage = 38.54). We examined measurement invariance across samples and time, differential item functioning (age, body mass index [BMI], gender), composite reliability, and validity. Study 1 revealed a 12-item, 4-factor structure (unconditional permission to eat, eating for physical reasons, reliance on hunger and satiety cues, body-food choice congruence). In Study 2, a bifactor-ESEM model with a global intuitive eating factor and four specific factors best fit the data, which was temporally stable across three weeks. This model also had good fit in Study 3 and, across Studies 2 and 3, and was fully invariant and lacked measurement bias in terms of age, gender, and BMI. Associations between latent IES-3 factors and age, gender, and BMI were invariant across Studies 2 and 3. Composite reliability and validity (relationships with disordered eating, embodiment, body image, well-being, and distress; negligible relationship with impression management) of the retained model were also supported. The 12-item IES-3 demonstrates strong psychometric properties in U.S. community adults. Research is now needed using the IES-3 in other cultural contexts and social identity groups.

Association between intuitive eating and health outcomes in outpatients with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study.

To evaluate the association between intuitive eating and health outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes in a cross-sectional study. Consecutively, outpatients attending at university hospital underwent clinical, laboratory, lifestyle, and eating behavior evaluations. Intuitive eating was assessed using the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2), and the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire-21 was adopted as a confirmatory tool for disordered eating behavior. Optimized health outcomes were considered according to the American Diabetes Association criteria for BMI, HbA1c, lipid profile, and blood pressure values, and the International Diabetes Federation criteria for waist circumference. Considering the answers of the IES-2 items, patients were grouped by latent class analysis, and their characteristics were compared by appropriate tests. In total, 267 patients were evaluated: 62.2% women, with 60 (53-65) years, BMI 31.9 ± 5.4kg/m², diabetes duration of 16 ± 9 years, HbA1c 8.5 ± 1.5%, and an IES-2 total score of 58 (50-67)%. Three intuitive eating groups were identified: higher intuitive eating, nonemotional-oriented coping, and lower intuitive eating. Patients with higher intuitive eating have higher chances of having optimized BMI and serum triglycerides values compared to patients with lower intuitive eating. Also, the 10-point increase on IES-2 was associated with a 0.62kg/m² reduction on BMI values (95%CI -1.18;-0.06), 1.90cm on waist circumference (95%CI -3.26;-0.54), and 23mg/dL in serum triglycerides values (95%CI -38.27;-7.40) after adjustment for age, sex, psychotropic drug use, medication effect score, smoking, and BMI. Intuitive eating seems to be associated with optimized health outcomes and may contribute to better personalized interventions in nutritional treatment that promote adaptive behaviors in diabetes management, but should be tested.

Intuitive eating: Validation of a brief Italian version of IES-2 for university students and its relationship with food intake

Intuitive eating is an adaptive eating style referring to a set of eating behaviors characterized by reliance on internal hunger and satiety cues rather than situational and emotional cues. It has four dimensions: Unconditional Permission to Eat, Eating for Physical rather than Emotional Reasons, Reliance on Hunger and Satiety Cues, and Body-Food Choice Congruence. Two studies explored the psychometric characteristics of a new Italian version of the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) among university students. Study 1 (n = 462; Mage = 22.36, SD = 2.10; 58.7 % females) evaluated the four-factor structure via CFA, resulting, with post-hoc modifications, in a 15-item version. Measurement invariance across gender, gender differences, and relationships with BMI were tested. Study 2 (n = 359; Mage = 20.35, SD = 1.77; 61.8 % females) verified the construct validity of the 15-item scale and explored criterion validity by examining the correlations with self-esteem, well-being, emotional, external, and restrained eating styles. Furthermore, the relationship between intuitive eating and food intake was explored. Overall results confirmed the four-factor structure, measurement invariance across gender, and criterion validity. The scale showed good psychometric properties in university students. Intuitive eating was associated with a healthier psychological status and lower risk of high-weight status, but it was not consistently associated with all markers of a healthy diet.

Assessment of Intuitive Eating and Mindful Eating among Higher Education Students: A Systematic Review.

The role of mindful eating (ME) and intuitive eating (IE) in improving eating behavior, diet quality, and health is an area of increasing interest. The objective of this review was to identify the instruments used to assess ME and IE among higher education students and outcomes related to these dimensions. This review was carried out according to the PRISMA statement, through systematic searches in PubMed, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and Scopus. The inclusion criteria selected for higher education students, levels of ME and/or IE reported, and observational and clinical studies. The exclusion criteria selected against reviews, qualitative studies, and case studies. Quality was assessed using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Criteria Checklist. A total of 516 initial records were identified, from which 75 were included. Cross-sectional studies were the most common research design (86.7%). Most studies were conducted with samples that were predominantly female (90.7%), White (76.0%), aged 18 to 22 years (88.4%), with BMI < 25 kg/m2 (83.0%), and in the United States (61.3%). The Intuitive Eating Scale (IES), the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ), and their different versions were the most used instruments. The outcomes most studies included were eating behavior and disorders (77.3%), anthropometric assessments (47.8%), mental health (42.0%), and body image (40.6%). Regarding the quality of studies, 34.7% of studies were assigned a positive, 1.3% a negative, and 64.0% a neutral rate. IES and MEQ were the most used instruments. RCT and cohort studies are scarce, and future research with a higher level of quality is needed, especially on the topics of food consumption, diet quality, and biochemical markers.

Do Mindful Eating and Intuitive Eating Affect Beverage Preferences? A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Intuitive eating involves following body signals to guide eating decisions and avoiding restrictive diets. Mindful eating is paying full attention to sensory experiences and fostering nonjudgmental awareness. We aimed to elucidate potential relationships between beverage intake and intuitive and mindful eating scores. This cross-sectional exploratory study (October 2021-December 2022) enrolled adult male and female participants who provided sociodemographic and health-related information and subsequently completed the Beverage Intake Questionnaire, the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ-30), and the Intuitive Eating Scale (IES-2). Bidirectional relationships were observed between beverage intake and intuitive and mindful eating scores. The total beverage intake of males was double compared with that of females, with the intake being mainly derived from sugar-sweetened beverages (p = 0.000). Increased total water intake was positively correlated with IES-2 and its subscale scores and was negatively correlated with MEQ-30 scores in both sexes (p < 0.05). Alcoholic beverage intake was associated with reductions in IES-2 and MEQ-30 scores, whereas unconditional permission to eat increased by 18.3% in males. In females, the consumption of milk-based beverages decreased the IES-2 scores. Understanding the complex relationships between beverage intake and intuitive and mindful eating may deepen our understanding of individual dietary behaviors and inform dietary interventions.

Exploring the relationship of perinatal depression regarding body image dissatisfaction, intuitive eating, and gestational and social factors in high-risk pregnancy

To assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors (i.e.: intuitive eating, body image dissatisfaction, and gestational and sociodemographic factors) in high-risk pregnant women. This cross-sectional study included 139 pregnant women, assisted by high-risk prenatal care in a university hospital in northeastern Brazil between January and May 2021. Self-report instruments were used to evaluate depressive symptoms, body image dissatisfaction, and intuitive eating (i.e.: Beck Depression Inventory, Body Shape Questionnaire, and Intuitive Eating Scale-2). Depressive symptoms were found in 33.09% of the sample, especially among women with lower education. Depressive symptoms, body image dissatisfaction, and intuitive eating were correlated (p&lt;0.001; depression and body image dissatisfaction r=0.53; depression and intuitive eating r=-0.32; body image dissatisfaction and intuitive eating r=-0.39). Women presenting more depressive symptoms made more choices based on emotional reasons and with less attention to body-food congruence. This study has unveiled a notable occurrence of depressive symptoms within the examined group of high-risk pregnant women, particularly among those with limited educational backgrounds. The findings also highlight that positive eating behaviors, such as intuitive eating, and body image satisfaction are less displayed when there are high levels of depressive symptoms. These results emphasize the critical necessity for understanding of depression correlations with behaviors capable of exerting an influence on, or exacerbating, clinical conditions among high-risk pregnant individuals remains imperative.

Weight Categories, Trajectories, Eating Behavior, and Metabolic Consequences during Pregnancy and Postpartum in Women with GDM.

Pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk for adverse outcomes, such as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). This study investigated weight trajectories, eating behaviors, and metabolic consequences in women with GDM during pregnancy and postpartum according to pre-pregnancy BMI. We prospectively included 464 women with GDM. Intuitive eating (Intuitive Eating Scale-2 questionnaire), gestational weight gain (GWG), postpartum weight retention (PPWR) at 6-8 weeks and 1-year postpartum, and glucose intolerance (prediabetes and diabetes) at 1-year were assessed. Women with obesity (WOB) had lower GWG but gained more weight in the postpartum (p < 0.0001). PPWR at 1-year did not differ across BMI categories (p = 0.63), whereas postpartum weight loss was most pronounced in women with normal weight (p < 0.0001), and within this category, in their lowest tertile (p < 0.05). Intuitive eating was not linked to perinatal weight changes but differed among BMI categories. PPWR predicted a 2.5-fold increased risk of glucose intolerance at 1-year independent of pre-pregnancy BMI (p < 0.001), and the adverse metabolic impact of PPWR was most pronounced in WOB with odds of increased risk of glucose intolerance 8.9 times higher (95% CI 2.956;26.968). These findings suggest an adaptive capacity to relatively rapid weight changes in the perinatal period that is less present with higher BMI.

Intuitive eating has reduced the chances of being overweight in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

University students have been particularly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, and several sociodemographic and behavioral factors may be associated with the risk of overweight in this population. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the pandemic on the eating behavior and nutritional status of university students, and the factors associated with these changes, especially the role of intuitive eating in this process. This is a repeated measures observational study with data collected in the first and third year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, from students over the age of 18 in the undergraduate programs of a federal university in southeastern Brazil. The survey was conducted using an online form. Eating behavior was assessed using the "Intuitive Eating Scale-2". 251 university students took part, most of them female with a median age of 22. There was an increase in body mass index (BMI) and intuitive eating score between the two periods. In the first year of the pandemic, being female and using tobacco reduced the chances of students being overweight. Living in a marital relationship, worrying about weight gain and body dissatisfaction increased the chances of this outcome. In the third year of the pandemic, it was observed that practicing restrictive diets, having inadequate body perception, worrying about weight gain and living in a marital relationship increased the chances of students being overweight. Being female and eating more intuitively, in line with bodily needs, reduced these odds, demonstrating a protective role in this scenario. There was an increase in BMI and intuitive eating score during the pandemic. Sociodemographic, lifestyle and behavioral variables had both a positive and negative influence on nutritional status. Intuitive eating was shown to be a protective factor during this period, reducing the chances of being overweight in this population. Thus, more intuitive eating may favor greater weight stability, and may, therefore, have helped to reduce the impact of the pandemic on weight gain. In this way, people who ate more intuitively partially resisted the context that favored weight gain (stress, changes in diet and physical inactivity).

Exploring the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 and Dyadic Associations Between Mental Health and Relational Dynamics in a Sample of Married Male Sexual Minority Couples

AbstractAcross studies, intuitive eating is associated with many health indicators. The Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2), the instrument for measuring intuitive eating, had not previously been explored with a sample of sexual minority [Sexual minority refers to individuals who experience consensual sexual identity, attraction, or behavior that is non normative (typically sexual minority individuals are lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or non-heterosexual)] individuals despite the disparities in eating behaviors and stress that persist among this population. Further, past work suggests the context of being partnered can be both protective and harmful for eating behaviors, highlighting an important avenue for investigating intuitive eating at the dyad level. This study sought to investigate the factor structure of the IES-2 and to explore the associations between both partner’s mental health, relational quality, and interpersonal eating interactions within a dyadic sample of 228 married male sexual minority couples (88% white, 8.8% Latino or Hispanic, 5.3% African American or Black, and 5.9% in other racial or ethnic groups). The original four-factor solution did not fit the current sample; instead, a new, fifth factor emerged, which was labeled as Eating Not as Coping. Intuitive eating behaviors were dyadically associated with mental and relational health and partners’ health-related interactions with one another. Future use of the IES-2 is informed by present results which may also inform recommendations for practice with and study of health and relationships.

Eating behavior during pregnancy mediates the association between depression and diet quality--a new strategy for intervention in pregnancy.

Depression can result in changes in eating behavior and decrease the quality of eating. It has been shown that maternal depression during pregnancy can result in malnutrition, which can have adverse effects on the pregnancy and the offspring. There is currently no clear association between depression and diet. Five hundred and forty-nine pregnant women recruited from Danyang Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Jiangsu Province participated in this study and were administered the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2), Edinburgh Post-natal Depression Scale (EPDS), Pregnancy Stress Scale (PPS), Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Dietary Guidelines Adherence Index for Pregnant Women during Pregnancy (CDGCI-PW). The nutritional software collected dietary records for three consecutive days in mid-pregnancy to calculate dietary intake and nutrients that support energy production. The mediation analyses were conducted using SPSS 24.0 macro PROCESS. The relationship between depressive symptoms during pregnancy and diet quality was moderated primarily by two aspects of eating behavior, "Reliance on Hunger and Satiety Cues" (RHS) and "Body-Food Choice Congruence" (BFC). Depressive symptoms (EPDS scores) showed a negative correlation with RHS, BFC, and RHS, and BFC showed a positive correlation with diet quality, yielding a significant specific indirect effect. The multiple mediation model explained 14.7% of the variance in the diet quality. This study highlights the important role of eating behaviors during pregnancy in the relationship between depressive symptoms (EPDS scores) and diet quality, and provides preliminary evidence for feasible ways pregnant women with depressive symptoms can improve diet quality, promote maternal and child health, and reduce depression.

Psychometric network analysis of the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 in Chinese general adults.

The Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) is a measure of intuitive eating behaviors that has been extensively validated, with traditional latent variable modeling approaches, in youth and adults from many different populations, including college students in China. However, there is still a lack of research on the psychometric properties of the IES-2 in adults from the Chinese general population. Moreover, psychometric network analysis, as a complement to traditional latent variable modeling approaches, has not been used for examining the psychometric properties of the IES-2. Thus, the present study used a psychometric network approach to evaluate the psychometric properties of the IES-2 in Chinese adults from the general population. A sample of 700 Chinese general adults (50% women; Mage = 31.13 years, SD = 9.19) recruited online were included in the present study. Psychometric network analysis was performed. Exploratory graph analysis (EGA) identified four dimensions, which were well separated in the estimated network. The network structure showed excellent stability and metric measurement invariance (i.e., network loadings) across men and women. Furthermore, several items on the IES-2 were identified as key nodes in the network of the IES-2 that may be important for the development and maintenance of intuitive eating. For example, two items (i.e., "I trust my body to tell me when to eat,"and "I trust my body to tell me when to stop eating") related to reliance on body cues were the most impactful nodes in the complete network. The findings of our study provide a greater understanding of the IES-2 from the perspective of network analysis and have implications for applications of intuitive eating interventions for general populations.

Relation between Adaptive Eating and Energy Intake Coping Strategies in a Refeed Model for Bodybuilders

Lean bodybuilder athletes may encounter challenges in adapting their eating habits during ad libitum refeed, either intuitively or consciously. Aims: This paper investigates whether there is a relationship between adaptive eating and energy intake coping strategies in a refeed model for bodybuilders. Methods: Fourteen male bodybuilders (29.6 ± 3.1 years; 85.6 ± 6.8 kg, ≥6 competitions) completed a 4-week regimen consisting of 5 days of energy restriction followed by 2 days of refeed. Dietary assessment, body composition (ultrasound), recovery stress questionnaire (REST-Q) and Brunel mood scale (BRUMS) were utilized pre- and post-regimen. Coping function questionnaire (CFQ), mindful eating scale version 2 (MES 2) and the intuitive eating scale-2 (IES-2) were evaluated at the 4th week. Results: Compared to the initial values, the refeed day resulted in a daily caloric increase of 44% compared to the average energy intake on the energy restriction days, culminating in a weekly calorie deficit of 27% and a drop in body mass of 3.1 ± 1.4%. Most participants showed reduced body fat and preserved or gained lean mass. The energy consumption during the refeed maintained an inverse relationship with the perception of satiety (r = −0.9; p &lt; 0.01), the IES 2 total scores (r = −0.82; p &lt; 0.01), as well as the confidence in hunger and satiety cues (r = −0.62; p = 0.02) and congruence in food–body choice dimensions (r = −0.56; p = 0.04). Emotional coping maintained an inverse relationship with the IES 2 total scores (r = 0.54; p &lt; 0.05) and an inverse relationship with energy intake during refeed (r = −0.42; p &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: The results suggest that a heightened perception of internal hunger and satiety signals and higher scores in intuitive eating may contribute to adequate energy intake, even when high scores of emotional coping are present.

Attitudes and Behaviors towards Food and Weight in Late Pregnancy: A Comparative Approach between Individuals with and without Previous Bariatric Surgery

The aims of this study were to compare, between pregnant individuals with and without bariatric surgery: (1) eating behaviors, (2) intuitive eating components and, (3) attitudes towards weight gain. This retrospective study included data collected in healthy pregnant individuals with and without previous bariatric surgery who were recruited at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Québec-Université Laval. Pregnant individuals who underwent bariatric surgery (biliopancreatic bypass with duodenal switch [n = 14] or sleeve gastrectomy [n = 5]) were individually matched, for age (±0.4 years) and body mass index (BMI) (±0.3 kg/m2), with pregnant individuals who have not received bariatric surgery. In the second trimester, participants completed the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) and the Intuitive Eating Scale 2 (IES-2). In the third trimester, participants completed the French version of the Pregnancy Weight Gain Attitude Scale assessing attitudes towards weight gain. Pregnant individuals who have had bariatric surgery had a higher score for flexible restraint and a lower score for situational susceptibility to disinhibition compared to individuals who have not had undergone bariatric surgery (2.89 ± 1.15 vs. 1.95 ± 1.31; p = 0.04 and 1.11 ± 1.29 vs. 2.79 ± 1.44, respectively; p &lt; 0.001). Regarding intuitive eating, pregnant individuals who experienced bariatric surgery had a higher score for reliance on internal hunger and satiety cues and a lower one for unconditional permission to eat compared with those who had not experienced bariatric surgery (3.99 ± 0.81 vs. 3.30 ± 1.03; p = 0.02 and 3.28 ± 0.54 vs. 3.61 ± 0.68, respectively; p = 0.03). No difference in attitudes towards weight gain was observed between groups. Overall, pregnant individuals who had undergone bariatric surgery had different eating behaviors and intuitive eating components compared to pregnant individuals without bariatric surgery. These results need to be confirmed in further studies with larger sample sizes.

Bodily sensations and bariatric surgery: Links between interoceptive sensibility, intuitive and disordered eating behaviour in obesity and obesity surgery.

This study evaluated interoceptive sensibility, intuitive and disordered eating among bariatric candidates, operated individuals and individuals with obesity seeking non-surgical treatment. We recruited 57 individuals with obesity seeking nonsurgical weight-loss (IOB), 84 bariatric candidates (Pre) and 22 individuals post-bariatric surgery (Post) who responded to questionnaires: Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness, Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2), Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire, Binge Eating Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck's Depression Inventory. Overall, the Post group manifested higher scores on 'Body-Listening' (F=4.95, p=0.01), 'Emotional Awareness' (F=8.83, p<0.001) and 'Trusting' (F=6.71, p=0.002) interoceptive dimensions, on the IES-2 total score (F=5.48, p=0.007) and 'Reliance on hunger and satiety cues' (F=31.3, p<0.001) when age was controlled. The IOB group presented higher scores on emotional (F=3.23, p=0.047) and binge eating (F=5.99, p=0.004). Among operated individuals, intuitive eating mediated the relationship between interoceptive sensibility dimensions and binge eating: 'Attention regulation' (54%) 'Self-regulation' (75.1%), 'Body listening' (94.09%) and 'Trusting' (84.9%). Our results suggest the therapeutic potential of interoceptive sensibility and intuitive eating in obesity management in/beyond the bariatric context.

Association between body weight perception and intuitive eating among undergraduate students in China: the mediating role of body image.

The association between body weight perception and intuitive eating among undergraduate students in China remains insufficiently understood. In the present study, we were aimed to examine the correlation between body weight perception, body image, and intuitive eating and determine whether the link between body weight perception and intuitive eating was influenced by body image. A total of 1,050 undergraduate students completed the survey. Participants provided self-reported demographic details and completed two structured scales. The Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (BESAA) and the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) were employed to assess body image and intuitive eating. Analysis of the mediation model was conducted using version 4.1 of the PROCESS Macro. Results with a value of p less than 0.05 were deemed statistically significant. The average age of the participants was 20.08 years (SD = 1.64). Among the students, 837 (79.7%) were female, and 212 (20.3%) were male. Body image (r = -0.429, p < 0.001) and intuitive eating (r = -0.313, p < 0.001) exhibited significant negative associations with body weight perception. Furthermore, body image showed a significant positive correlation with intuitive eating (r = 0.318, p < 0.001). Significant mediating effects of body image were identified concerning intuitive eating and body weight perception in the right weight (95% bootstrap CI = 0.007, 0.040) and overweight groups (95% bootstrap CI = -0.048, -0.009). The indirect effects of body image constituted 12.19% and 15.33% of the total effects of intuitive eating in these two groups. Although the indirect effects were not substantial, these outcomes shed light on the partial understanding of how body weight perception impacted intuitive eating via body image. Importantly, our findings emphasized the significance of body image and body weight perception, offering a novel insight for prospective interventions targeting undergraduate students.