Nutrients, Vol. 17, Pages 2824: Intuitive Eating Intervention in Physically Active Adults: Effects on Anthropometry, Athletic Performance, Eating Attitudes, and Body Image
Nutrients doi: 10.3390/nu17172824
Authors:
Meltem Pırıl Şenol
Ece Öneş
Murat Baş
Gözde Arıtıcı Çolak
Background/Objectives: There is growing interest in non-diet approaches to support health, well-being, and performance in different populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 12-week intuitive eating (IE) intervention on participants’ body composition, body image, eating behaviors, and athletic performance. Methods: The study included both an intervention group and a control group. It was conducted between September and December 2021. Participants were recruited from a sports center in Istanbul, where they had applied for nutrition and exercise counseling. Inclusion criteria included being 18–65 years old, not having engaged in regular physical activity in the past month, having no chronic disease, and not using any regular medications. Participants were not randomly assigned to groups; allocation was based on availability and willingness to attend the intervention sessions. The study involved 57 participants who were healthy adults between 18 and 65 years old and followed a structured exercise program. At the beginning of the study, a demographic questionnaire was administered. The anthropometric measurements were taken at the beginning and at the end of the intervention. In addition, validated performance and psychometric assessment tools were used, including the Cooper test for cardiovascular endurance, the Davies test for upper-body agility, and the 1-RM bench press for muscular strength, alongside standardized self-report questionnaires for eating attitudes (EAT-26), IE (IES-2), and body image (BCS). Results: The intervention group did not show any statistically significant changes in body composition (p > 0.05). The post-intervention means of the intervention and control groups were not statistically different (p > 0.05). The intervention group showed significant improvements in cardiovascular endurance, agility, and strength performance scores compared to the control group after the intervention (p < 0.05). The intervention group showed significant improvements in body image scores (p < 0.05) and eating attitude scores (p < 0.05). The post-intervention eating attitude and body image scores of the intervention group were significantly different from those of the control group (p < 0.05). The results of the correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between intuitive eating and body image (r = 0.455; p < 0.05) and a significant negative correlation between IE and disordered eating attitudes (r = −0.449; p < 0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that longer-term interventions may be beneficial and warrant further investigation. IE may serve as a promising strategy to enhance psychological well-being and performance outcomes without focusing on weight control.
Background/Objectives: There is growing interest in non-diet approaches to support health, well-being, and performance in different populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 12-week intuitive eating (IE) intervention on participants’ body composition, body image, eating behaviors, and athletic performance. Methods: The study included both an intervention group and a control group. It was conducted between September and December 2021. Participants were recruited from a sports center in Istanbul, where they had applied for nutrition and exercise counseling. Inclusion criteria included being 18–65 years old, not having engaged in regular physical activity in the past month, having no chronic disease, and not using any regular medications. Participants were not randomly assigned to groups; allocation was based on availability and willingness to attend the intervention sessions. The study involved 57 participants who were healthy adults between 18 and 65 years old and followed a structured exercise program. At the beginning of the study, a demographic questionnaire was administered. The anthropometric measurements were taken at the beginning and at the end of the intervention. In addition, validated performance and psychometric assessment tools were used, including the Cooper test for cardiovascular endurance, the Davies test for upper-body agility, and the 1-RM bench press for muscular strength, alongside standardized self-report questionnaires for eating attitudes (EAT-26), IE (IES-2), and body image (BCS). Results: The intervention group did not show any statistically significant changes in body composition (p > 0.05). The post-intervention means of the intervention and control groups were not statistically different (p > 0.05). The intervention group showed significant improvements in cardiovascular endurance, agility, and strength performance scores compared to the control group after the intervention (p < 0.05). The intervention group showed significant improvements in body image scores (p < 0.05) and eating attitude scores (p < 0.05). The post-intervention eating attitude and body image scores of the intervention group were significantly different from those of the control group (p < 0.05). The results of the correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between intuitive eating and body image (r = 0.455; p < 0.05) and a significant negative correlation between IE and disordered eating attitudes (r = −0.449; p < 0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that longer-term interventions may be beneficial and warrant further investigation. IE may serve as a promising strategy to enhance psychological well-being and performance outcomes without focusing on weight control. Read More