Association between Mindful Eating and Obesity, Nutritional Status among 6th Grade Medical School Students

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the association between mindful eating, obesity, and nutritional status (low diet quality) among 6th year medical students of the Dokuz Eylul University Medical School. Material and Methods: The population of this cross-sectional study consisted of 303 interns studying at the Dokuz Eylul Medical School, for the year 2020-2021. No sampling method was applied; instead, the entire population was targeted. The dependent variable was presence of obesity determined by the body mass index and low diet quality determined by the Mediterranean Diet Quality Scale (KIDMED). The Independent variable was mindful eating determined by the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ-30). Possible confounding factors include socio-demografic characteristics, health status, dietary behaviour, the presence of obesity in the family, physical activity status. The data were collected through an online survey form. The percentage distributions of the descriptive variables were presented with mean standard deviations, Chi- Square and Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis were used in order to determine casuality. Results: The mean age of 245 interns reached was 23.9 (SD= 1.2) (range 22-30), 42.9% of whom were women. The mean total YFO-30 scores were 98.3 (SD=11.3). The frequency of obesity was 4.1%. In this study, 44.9% of the students had low diet quality. According to the Logistic Regression Analysis the risk of being overweight or obese was significantly higher 3.4 (OR:3.44 [95%CI:1.06-11.16] p= 0.039) times in those aged 26 and over, 10.7 (OR:10.70 [95%CI:4.50- 25.47] p<0.001) times in males, 2.5 (OR:2.53 [95%CI: 1.27-5.03] p=0.008) times in those with obese individuals in the family; the risk of low diet quality is meaningfully higher 2,1 (OR:2.08 [95%CI:1.16-3.74] p=0.014) times in males, 3.0 (OR:2.95 [95%CI:1.22-7.17] p=0.005) times those whose income is lower than their expenses, 3.1 (OR:3.12 [95%CI:1.42- 6.87] p=0.005) times in those that are living with their friends. Conclusion: Frequency of obesity was low, low diet quality was high in 6th grade medical students. There was no significant relationship between mindful eating and low diet quality and obesity. Keywords: mindful eating, obesity, diet quality, nutritional status