Zeynep Uzdil

In recent years, the increasing interest in healthier dietary practices, concerns about environmental sustainability, and ethical values have led to a rise in the popularity of plant-based nutrition. Because of these interests, plant-based protein sources are increasingly being recommended to replace animal protein sources as the primary protein source. Therefore, the quality, digestibility, metabolic effects, and impact on the gut microbiota of plant-based proteins are increasingly being studied. The gut microbiota is a dynamic and complex community of trillions of microorganisms in the colon that plays various roles in metabolic and inflammatory processes; diet is one of the most important factors rapidly affecting it. Current studies show that the consumption of plant-based proteins, along with the intake of phytochemicals, various bioactive components, and fiber, supports microbial fermentation in the gut, increases the production of short-chain fatty acids, and has positive effects on the abundance of beneficial bacteria and on inflammation. However, it is important to consider the type of protein, its digestibility, and individual differences. Plant-based proteins, when consumed as part of a properly planned diet, may support and improve the gut microbiota. Nevertheless, longer-term, controlled human studies are needed in this area.

Objective: Disordered eating attitudes and orthorexia nervosa (ON) represent important public health concerns. Social appearance anxiety may constitute a key psychological factor underlying these patterns. This study aimed to examine social appearance anxiety as associated with disordered eating attitudes and ON in a large adult sample. Method: This cross‐sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire. A total of 827 adults (614 female [74.2%] and 213 male [25.8%]) were included in this study, with a mean age of 30.1 ± 7.6 years. Data were collected using the Eating Attitudes Test‐26 (EAT‐26), the Orthorexia Nervosa Inventory (ONI), and the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS). Group comparisons were performed using independent samples t‐tests and one‐way analysis of variance, and linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the predictive role of social appearance anxiety. Results: Social appearance anxiety scores were significantly higher among females, single individuals, and participants with lower physical activity levels ( p < 0.05). Participants at risk for disordered eating and those with higher ON tendencies exhibited significantly elevated SAAS scores ( p < 0.01). Linear regression analyses indicated that social appearance anxiety was independently associated with both disordered eating attitudes and orthorexia nervosa after adjustment for sociodemographic variables ( p < 0.001). Discussion: Social appearance anxiety appears to be a significant psychological factor associated with both disordered eating attitudes and ON. These findings underscore the importance of addressing appearance‐related concerns in the prevention and management of maladaptive eating behaviors.

AMAÇ: Ebeveynler beslenme tarzları ile çocukların yeme davranışlarını etkileyebilmektir. Bu çalışma, okul öncesi çocuklarda ebeveyn besleme tarzının çocukların yeme davranışları, antropometrik ölçümleri ve beden algıları ile ilişkisini incelemek amacıyla yürütülmüştür. GEREÇ VE YÖNTEM: Tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel nitelikteki bu araştırmanın örneklemini bir devlet anaokulunda öğrenim gören 3-6 yaş arası 175 çocuk ve ailesi oluşturmuştur. Ebeveynlerin besleme süreçlerindeki tutumlarının değerlendirilmesinde Ebeveyn Besleme Tarzı Anketi, çocukların yeme davranışlarının değerlendirilmesinde Çocuklarda Yeme Davranışı Anketi, çocukların beden algılarının değerlendirilmesinde ise silüet testi örneği kullanılmıştır. Veriler SPSS Windows 21.0 istatistik paket programı kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. BULGULAR: Ebeveynlerin duygusal ve yardımcı besleme tutumları arttıkça çocukların gıda heveslisi, duygusal aşırı yeme, içme tutkusu, tokluk heveslisi, yavaş yeme ve duygusal az yeme davranışı artmakta, gıdadan keyif alma davranışı ise azalmaktadır (p<0.05). Ebeveynlerin sıkı kontrollü besleme davranışları arttıkça çocuklarda yemek seçiciliği artmaktadır (p<0.05). Ebeveynlerin toleranslı besleme tutumları arttıkça çocuğun gıdadan keyif alma durumu artmakta, tokluk heveslisi yeme davranışı azalmaktadır (p<0.05). Çocukların bel çevresi, kalça çevresi ve üst orta kol çevresi ölçümleri arttıkça ebeveynlerin duygusal ve cesaretlendirici besleme tutumları azalmaktadır (p<0.05). Çocuklarının zayıf olduğunu düşünen ebeveynler duygusal ve cesaretlendirici besleme eğilimindedirler (p0.05). SONUÇ: Ebeveynlerin besleme davranışlarının okul öncesi çocukların yeme tutumu, antropometrik ölçümleri ve beden algıları ile ilişkili olduğu gözlemlenmiştir. Çocukların yeme tutumu, büyüme ve gelişmeleri ve beden algıları ile ilgili araştırmalar yapılırken ebeveynlerin beslenme konusundaki farkındalıklarının gözden geçirilecek şekilde tasarlanması faydalı olacaktır.

Objective: Long-term illnesses and hospitalizations can negatively affect the nutritional status of individuals, and have a risk for malnutrition. Nutritional status of patients in clinics are important during the treatment process. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status of inpatients in a neurology clinic. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on inpatients receiving treatment in neurology clinic. The characteristics of patients were questioned using a questionnaire form. Anthropometric measurements (body height, body weight, mid-upper arm circumference, and calf circumference) were taken, and nutritional risk assessment (with Nutritional Risk Screening – 2002) and biochemical data (hemoglobin, hematocrit, albumin, and vitamin B12) were evaluated. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 100 patients, between the ages of 18-86 years were included. The nutritional risk screening scores of patients who stated they had no appetite and non-smoking patients are higher. As the length of hospital stay increases, risk of malnutrition increases and when modeling according to age, gender, and smoking according to the regression analysis still positively affected. As mid-upper arm circumference and calf circumference decreases, the risk of malnutrition increases. Another results of regression analysis is that as hemoglobin and hematocrit decreases, risk of malnutrition increases. Conclusion: This study showed that patients at risk of malnutrition had low hematocrit levels and was negatively affected by mid-upper arm circumference and calf circumference. Also malnutrition was negatively affected by hospital length of stay. These results reveal importance of nutritional screening in patients hospitalized in the neurology clinic.

Objective Hedonic hunger leads to the development of obesity by encouraging overeating and a consequent increase in energy intake. Mindful eating is predicted to help maintain a healthy weight by reducing hedonic hunger levels. This study aimed to examine the association between mindful eating, hedonic hunger, and obesity in adults living in Türkiye. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted between March and April 2023 using a face-to-face survey method among individuals aged 19-65 in Türkiye. Mindful eating was defined with the Mindful Eating Questionnaire. Higher scores on the scale indicate higher mindful eating. Hedonic hunger was determined using the Power of Food Scale. A higher Power of Food Scale score indicated a higher tendency towards hedonic hunger. Body weight, height, and waist circumference measurements were evaluated, and the body mass index was calculated. A 24-hour dietary recall was taken to determine the participants’ energy and nutrient intake. Results A total of 787 volunteers (mean age: 31.2±11.9 years) participated. A one-unit increase in Mindful Eating Questionnaire total score was associated with a 0.81-unit decrease in Power of Food Scale total score (p<0.001) and a 134.38 kcal decrease in energy intake (p<0.01). Higher Mindful Eating Questionnaire total scores were associated with lower odds of having risk/high risk of health according to waist circumference (p<0.001) and waist/height ratio (p<0.05) and associated with lower odds of being obese (p<0.001). Conclusion Higher mindful eating is inversely associated with hedonic hunger, energy intake, and obesity in adults. Mindful eating can be beneficial for altering hedonic hunger and energy intake, thereby reducing obesity.

Objective: Evaluating the agreement between the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 with the Mediterranean Diet Assessment Screener (MEDAS) and the associations with obesity were aimed. Materials and Methods: Four-hundred-and-four adults (134 men, 270 women) aged 19-65 participated in this study. HEI-2015 components were calculated from 24-hour dietary recall data. Mediterranean diet adherence was assessed using the MEDAS tool. Body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height, waist-to-hip ratio, body shape index (ABSI), and body roundness index (BRI) were calculated. Pearson correlation coefficients between diet quality and obesity were given. Cohen Kappa test was applied to show agreement between HEI-2015 and MEDAS. Results: Mean BMI, HEI-2015, and MEDAS scores were 25.35±5.21 kg/m2, 49.34±12.96, and 7.45±2.17, respectively. MEDAS were negatively related to BMI (r=-0.120, p

Objective: Stigma is a mark that defines some people, devalues, and causes them to be distinguished from others in society. Obesity is among the diseases that might cause discrimination and stigmatization. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between weight stigma, self-esteem, and life satisfaction in people with a bariatric surgery history. Method: This cross-sectional study was evaluated in 250 individuals [147 female (58.8%) and 103 male (41.2%)] with a mean age of 34.35 ± 7.46 years. Descriptive characteristics, the factors leading to bariatric surgery, self-esteem, and life satisfaction scores were collected with a questionnaire. Linear regression models for the life satisfaction scale were analyzed. Statistically, P < 0.05 values were considered significant. Results: The postgraduates had lower life satisfaction than high school and undergraduate students (P=0.001); the non-smokers had higher life satisfaction than smokers or who quit smoking (P=0.036) and also non-alcoholics had higher life satisfaction than the other groups who consume alcohol or quit consuming (P=0.000). The self-esteem of the non-smokers was higher than smokers or who quit smoking (P=0.000). The postoperative body weight loss of the individuals was 93.8 ± 31.3 kg. Accordingly, most of the individuals (98.4%) applied for surgery because of a “fear of health problems”, 98.8% of the individuals were “experiencing exclusion or discrimination at school or work”, 99.2% of the individuals were “feeling insecure about the opinions of others” and “being blamed by people for weight problems”. The self-esteem score of the overweight group was higher than the group with normal BMI values (P=0.012). According to the regression model, weight loss and self-esteem were among the determinants of life satisfaction (P=0.000). Conclusion: The current data suggest that strategies to reduce stigma behavior should be developed in addition to lifestyle interventions, including dietary approaches, in the treatment of obesity. It is necessary to conduct follow-up studies on this subject, which span the time before and after bariatric surgery.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between food literacy, adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MetDiet), and anthropometric measurements. Method In this study, 551 adults were evaluated. The defining features were questioned with the questionnaire form, Short Food Literacy Questionnaire (SFLQ), and Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). Neck circumference, waist circumference (WC) measurements, waist to height ratio (WHtR), waist to hip ratio (WHR), and body mass index (BMI) were evaluated. The effect of the SFLQ scores on the anthropometric measurements and MEDAS scores was evaluated with linear and binary logistic regression analysis. Results The food literacy scores were low in individuals with overweight and obesity and have risk according to the waist circumference and waist to height ratio. Individuals with high adherence to the MetDiet had high food literacy. The food literacy had the most effect on waist circumference. There was a positive relationship between the food literacy and MetDiet scores when the crude and adjusted models were compared according to age, gender, education level, marital status, and BMI. According to crude and adjusted models, food literacy was effective on strict adherence to the diet (Wald=13.446), and a 1-unit increase in the food literacy increased strict adherence to MetDiet by 1.05 times (95% CI=1.03-1.09). Conclusion The results showed positive effect of food literacy on obesity-related anthropometric measurements and MetDiet.

Amaç: Bu çalışmada COVID-19 salgını döneminde yetişkin bireylerde gece yeme alışkanlıklarının belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Kesitsel nitelikte olan bu araştırmaya, 18-62 yaş arası 251 yetişkin birey dâhil edilmiştir. Bireylere çevrimiçi bir anket aracılığıyla ulaşılmıştır. Anket formu ile tanımlayıcı özellikler, öğün tüketimleri, beslenme alışkanlıklarındaki değişiklikler ve antropometrik ölçümleri (vücut ağırlığı, boy uzunluğu) sorgulanmıştır. Bireylerin gece yeme alışkanlıkları Gece Yeme Anketi ile değerlendirilmiştir. Verilerin analizinde IBM SPSS 21.0 istatistik programı kullanılmıştır ve p< 0,05 istatistiksel olarak anlamlı kabul edilmiştir. Bulgular: Bireylerin %15,1’ inde gece yeme sendromu belirlenmiştir. COVID-19 salgını döneminde işlenmiş et ürünü, ev yapımı hamur işi, şekerli besinler, ambalajlı ürünler ve şekerli-gazlı içecek tüketimini artıran bireylerin Gece Yeme Anketi puanı yüksektir (sırası ile p=0,002, p=0,019, p