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Journals / Türkiye Diyabet ve Obezite Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 10 Sayı: 2

Eating Attitudes and Behaviors in Relation to Type 2 Diabetes Risk among Young Adults: A Cross Sectional Study

Genç Yetişkinlerde Yeme Tutum ve Davranışlarının Tip 2 Diyabet Riski ile İlişkisi: Kesitsel Bir Çalışma

Hacer Alataş(MALATYA TURGUT ÖZAL ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-6441-0362
Nurgül Arslan(DICLE UNIVERSITY)0000-0002-7618-0859
Seyhan Çıtlık Sarıtaş(MALATYA TURGUT OZAL UNIVERSITY)0000-0003-2519-0261
Edanur Miran(MALATYA TURGUT OZAL UNIVERSITY)0009-0000-8096-3365
Pages
164–175
Publication Date
2026-08-31
DOI
—
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Early assessment of eating-related attitudes and behaviors may therefore support preventionoriented approaches in this population.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Aim: This study examined the relationship between eating-related attitudes, eating behavior patterns, and estimated type 2 diabetes risk in young adults.Material and Methods: The cross-sectional sample consisted of 814 university students aged 18–25 years, including 300 males and 514 females.
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Key Findings & Data:Eating attitudes were measured using the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), while cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, and emotional eating were assessed through the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ).
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Conclusion & Impact:Early assessment of eating-related attitudes and behaviors may therefore support preventionoriented approaches in this population.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Genç yetişkinler · Tip 2 diyabet riski · FINDRISC

Abstract

Aim: This study examined the relationship between eating-related attitudes, eating behavior patterns, and estimated type 2 diabetes risk in young adults.Material and Methods: The cross-sectional sample consisted of 814 university students aged 18–25 years, including 300 males and 514 females. Participants completed an anonymous web-based questionnaire. Eating attitudes were measured using the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), while cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, and emotional eating were assessed through the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ). Estimated type 2 diabetes risk was calculated with the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC). Correlation analyses were used to examine relationships among the study variables. Hierarchical linear regression was conducted for the continuous FINDRISC score, and binary logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with elevated estimated diabetes risk.Results: The participants had a mean age of 20.92 ± 1.76 years. Female participants had higher EAT-26 scores than males (14.25 ± 9.42 vs. 10.42 ± 8.12, p < 0.001) and were more frequently above the EAT-26 cut-off of ≥20 (22.18% vs. 12.67%, p < 0.001). FINDRISC scores increased in parallel with EAT-26 total score (r = 0.18, p < 0.001), uncontrolled eating (r = 0.24, p < 0.001), emotional eating (r = 0.19, p < 0.001), and BMI (r = 0.62, p < 0.001). In the hierarchical regression model, EAT-26 total score and uncontrolled eating remained significantly related to FINDRISC score. Logistic regression also showed that higher EAT-26, uncontrolled eating, and emotional eating scores were associated with greater odds of elevated estimated type 2 diabetes risk.Conclusion: Less favorable eating attitudes and stronger uncontrolled and emotional eating tendencies were linked to higher estimated type 2 diabetes risk in young adults. Early assessment of eating-related attitudes and behaviors may therefore support preventionoriented approaches in this population.

Özet

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, genç yetişkinlerde yeme tutumları ve yeme davranışlarının tahmini tip 2 diyabet riski ile ilişkisini değerlendirmektir.Gereç ve Yöntemler: Bu kesitsel çalışmaya, 18–25 yaş arası 814 üniversite öğrencisi (300 erkek, 514 kadın) dahil edilmiştir. Veriler anonim bir çevrim içi anket aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Yeme tutumları Yeme Tutum Testi-26 (EAT-26), yeme davranışları ise Üç Faktörlü Yeme Anketi (TFEQ) alt ölçekleri ile değerlendirilmiştir. Tahmini tip 2 diyabet riski Finlandiya Diyabet Risk Skoru (FINDRISC) kullanılarak belirlenmiştir. Değişkenler arasındaki ilişkiler korelasyon analizi ile incelenmiştir. FINDRISC skoru için hiyerarşik doğrusal regresyon analizi, artmış tahmini tip 2 diyabet riski için ise lojistik regresyon analizi uygulanmıştır.Bulgular: Katılımcıların ortalama yaşı 20.92 ± 1.76 yıl olarak bulunmuştur. Kadınların EAT-26 toplam puanı erkeklerden daha yüksek bulunmuştur (14.25 ± 9.42’ye karşı 10.42 ± 8.12, p < 0.001) ve EAT-26 skoru ≥20 olanların oranı kadınlarda daha fazladır (%22.18’e karşı %12.67, p < 0.001). FINDRISC toplam skoru EAT-26 toplam puanı (r = 0.18, p < 0.001), kontrolsüz yeme (r = 0.24, p < 0.001), duygusal yeme (r = 0.19, p < 0.001) ve BKİ (r = 0.62, p < 0.001) ile pozitif yönde ilişkili bulunmuştur. Hiyerarşik doğrusal regresyon analizinde EAT-26 toplam puanı ve kontrolsüz yeme FINDRISC toplam skoru ile ilişkili bulunmuştur. Lojistik regresyon analizinde EAT-26 toplam puanı, kontrolsüz yeme ve duygusal yeme artmış tahmini tip 2 diyabet riski ile ilişkili bulunmuştur.Sonuç: Problemli yeme tutumları ile kontrolsüz ve duygusal yeme davranışları, genç yetişkinlerde daha yüksek tahmini tip 2 diyabet riski ile ilişkili bulunmuştur. Bu bulgular, genç yetişkinlerde yeme davranışlarının erken dönemde değerlendirilmesinin tip 2 diyabet riskine yönelik önleyici stratejiler açısından yararlı olabileceğini düşündürmektedir.

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Cite This Article

Alataş, H., Arslan, N., Sarıtaş, S. Ç., Miran, E. (2026). Eating Attitudes and Behaviors in Relation to Type 2 Diabetes Risk among Young Adults: A Cross Sectional Study. Türkiye Diyabet ve Obezite Dergisi, Cilt: 10 Sayı: 2, 164–175. https://ajindex.com/articles/1436187

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