The Relationship Between Eating Behavior and Conscious Awareness and Anxiety in University Students

This study aims to comprehensively examine the relationship between eating behavior, mindfulness, and anxiety among university students. The research was conducted to determine the variability in these areas and the relationships between these variables among second and third-year psychology undergraduate students. 86 psychology undergraduate students participated in this study, which aimed to evaluate the impact of participants' sociodemographic characteristics on their eating behaviors, mindfulness levels, and anxiety. Data were collected through online surveys. Eating behavior includes individuals' patterns and habits of food consumption. Biological, psychological, and environmental factors usually shape these behaviors. Eating habits encompass a wide range, from healthy eating preferences to tendencies to avoid certain foods or overeat. Some important factors influencing eating behaviors are emotional states, cultural norms, social influences, food availability, and individual health awareness. In this study, the Eating Habits Questionnaire (DEBQ) used to measure eating behaviors particularly evaluates three main eating styles: Emotional Eating Refers to individuals' tendency to consume food in response to emotional states such as stress, sadness, or loneliness.External Eating: Refers to individuals' tendency to eat in response to external factors such as the appearance, smell of food, or environmental stimuli. Restrained Eating: Refers to individuals' efforts to restrict food intake consciously for weight control or health reasons. Mindfulness is the ability to be consciously aware of the present moment and accept these experiences without judgment. This concept is considered important in supporting mental health and is often developed through meditation and mindfulness practices. Mindfulness can help individuals better manage their thoughts and emotions, enhance their ability to cope with stress and improve their overall quality of life. The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), used to measure mindfulness levels, evaluates how aware and conscious individuals are in their daily lives. Mindfulness also plays an important role in regulating eating behaviors; more mindful individuals may be more successful in coping with emotional triggers and developing healthier eating habits. Anxiety is a state of intense worry and concern that individuals feel in response to potential future dangers or uncertainties. Anxiety can manifest with both mental and physical symptoms and can negatively impact individuals' daily lives. Physical symptoms can include rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, and shortness of breath, while mental symptoms can include constant worry, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and insomnia. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) used to measure anxiety levels aims to assess the levels of anxiety experienced by individuals objectively. High levels of anxiety can negatively affect individuals' eating behaviors; for example, some individuals may tend to overeat in states of anxiety, while others may experience loss of appetite. When examining the demographic data of the 86 psychology undergraduate students who participated in the study, it is observed that 91.9% of the participants are female and 8.1% are male. This distribution may reflect the typically higher number of female students in psychology departments. According to the research findings, no statistically significant relationship was found between sociodemographic variables such as gender, COVID-19 status, smoking/alcohol use, and body perception with eating behaviors, mindfulness levels, and anxiety. This indicates that these factors do not directly affect individuals' eating behaviors, mindfulness, and anxiety levels. However, it was determined that anxiety levels were significantly higher in individuals who smoke and drink alcohol. It is known that smoking and alcohol use increase anxiety levels and are often preferred as a method of coping with anxiety and stress, but in the long term, they can worsen anxiety. This finding highlights the negative impact of such substance use on psychological health among university students. Additionally, body perception was found to affect eating habits. This suggests that individuals with lower body perception are more likely to experience irregular eating behaviors. Body perception refers to the thoughts and feelings an individual has about their own body image and typically significantly impacts individuals' eating behaviors. Negative body perception can lead to emotional eating or restrictive eating behaviors. The study shows a positive and weak relationship between restrictive eating behavior and emotional eating behavior. This indicates that individuals who restrict their food intake for weight control may eat in response to emotional states. Emotional eating is the tendency to consume food to cope with emotional states such as stress, sadness, or loneliness. When combined with restrictive eating, the risk of developing eating disorders increases. A negative and weak relationship was found between emotional eating behavior and mindfulness. This suggests that individuals with high levels of mindfulness are less likely to eat in response to emotional triggers. Mindfulness is the ability to accept the present moment without judgment and manage thoughts better. High mindfulness levels enable individuals to cope with stress and emotional states more healthily, reducing emotional eating. A negative and moderately significant relationship was determined between anxiety level and mindfulness. This suggests that high mindfulness levels can reduce anxiety levels. Mindfulness techniques can help individuals better manage their anxieties and stress, positively impacting overall mental health. The study provides important findings to understand the complex relationships between university students' eating behaviors, mindfulness, and anxiety levels. Particularly, the negative impact of smoking and alcohol use on anxiety and the effect of body perception on eating habits are critical points to be targeted in interventions in these areas. Increasing mindfulness levels can help individuals develop healthier eating behaviors and reduce anxiety. Therefore, it is recommended that mindfulness training and psychological support programs for university students be developed. Such programs can improve students' stress management skills, adopt healthy eating habits, and enhance overall mental health. In conclusion, this research reveals the relationships between eating behaviors, mindfulness levels, and anxiety, paving the way for further research and developing strategies to improve student health. Universities and healthcare providers need to adopt holistic and supportive approaches to meet students' needs in these areas.