Associations between intuitive eating, body self-compassion, and orthorexia nervosa in young adults: a cross-sectional analysis

Aims: Orthorexic tendencies are increasingly recognized as an emerging problem in eating behavior, while intuitive eating and body self-compassion (i.e., treating one's body with kindness and acceptance) are adaptive factors supporting healthier eating and body image.Recognizing the protective role of these constructs is crucial.This study aimed to examine the relationship between intuitive eating, body self-compassion, and orthorexia nervosa (ON) in university students.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with university students aged 18-25 years.A convenience sampling method was used to recruit participants.Socio-demographic characteristics and anthropometric measurements were assessed using a structured questionnaire.The risk of ON was evaluated with the Orthorexia Nervosa Risk Assessment Scale, intuitive eating with the Intuitive Eating Scale-2, and body self-compassion with the Body Self-Compassion Scale.Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and analyzed using descriptive, correlational, and linear regression analyses. Results:The study included 500 students (mean age: 19.671.65 years; 51.4% female).The mean body mass index (BMI) was 22.553.02kg/m; 74.4% of participants were classified as normal weight, while 15.4% were overweight.ON scores were negatively correlated with intuitive eating (r=-0.404,p<0.001) and body self-compassion (r=-0.372,p<0.001).Regression analysis showed that intuitive eating (=-0.391,p<0.001) and body self-compassion (=-0.258,p<0.001) were significantly associated with ON.Emotional eating was positively associated with BMI (r=0.315,p<0.001) and identified as the strongest factor (=0.308, p<0.001).Conclusions: This study found that higher intuitive eating and body self-compassion scores were linked to lower orthorexic tendencies and healthier weight-related behaviors, while higher BMI was related to maladaptive patterns.Promoting intuitive eating and body self-compassion may help protect against disordered eating.From a public health perspective, integrating these constructs into interventions could support healthier eating behaviors among young adults.