Emre Duman

Sodium nitrite (E250) is a widely used additive in processed meat products and has been reported to disrupt the gut microbiota and exert carcinogenic effec

This cross-sectional study examined whether emotional eating, food craving acceptance, sex, and BMI predict eating disorder psychopathology in 531 Turkish university students (262 male, 269 female). Participants completed the Salzburg Emotional Eating Scale (SEES), Food Craving Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (FAAQ), and Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q). Males scored higher on emotional eating; females scored higher on food craving acceptance and EDE-Q. Several sex differences, including the EDE-Q global score, were not significant after Bonferroni correction or under the Turkish three-factor scoring. In a hierarchical regression, psychological variables added 10.7% of the variance beyond the 5.1% from sex and BMI (adjusted R ² = 0.148). Higher SEES (β = 0.227), higher FAAQ Acceptance (β = 0.256), and female sex (male = 1; β = −0.175) predicted higher EDE-Q; FAAQ Willingness and BMI did not. In an exploratory interaction, however, BMI predicted higher EDE-Q in males only. FAAQ findings warrant caution given moderate internal consistency.

This study aims to comprehensively examine the complex relationships among sports nutrition knowledge, nutritional status (macro- and micronutrient intake)

Objective: This study aimed to develop and psychometrically validate the Beliefs, Emotions, and Responses to Risk of Inadequate Nutrition (BERRIN) scale, operationalizing the novel, theoretically distinct constructs of Catastrophizing Hunger and Preemptive Defensive Eating.Method: We employed a psychometric framework integrating Classical Test Theory, Item Response Theory, and Network Psychometrics. Following Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA, n=316) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA, n=328), the model was refined on the pooled sample (N=644). We used the Rasch Partial Credit Model, ordinal logistic regression, and Differential Item Functioning to ensure precision. Structural resilience was assessed via Exploratory Graph Analysis (BootEGA, 1,000 iterations). Validity was examined against anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, food insecurity, and intuitive eating, with temporal stability confirmed via a two-week test-retest (n=50).Results: EFA identified a robust 20-item, five-factor structure explaining 63.3% of the total variance. Hierarchical second-order CFA confirmed excellent model fit (x2/df =1.70, SRMR = 0.043, RMSEA = 0.046, CFI = 0.962, TLI = 0.955) and verified measurement invariance across sex, Body Mass Index groups, economic and marital status. Rasch modeling supported the mapping of precise risk-stratification thresholds (low, medium, high risk). BootEGA demonstrated exceptional structural resilience, replicating the definitive five-dimensional grid in 96.7% of simulated iterations, while item stability remained highly robust (≥ 0.802). The overall scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = 0.904, ω = 0.912) and temporal stability (ICC = 0.936).Conclusion: The BERRIN scale provides a robust, psychometrically rigorous instrument for nutritional psychology. By quantifying the transition from interoceptive visceral signals to maladaptive safety behaviors, this scale offers a novel paradigm for large-scale epidemiological screening and the development of targeted clinical interventions in disordered eating contexts.

Background: Functional constipation is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder with substantial public health implications. Evidence on its biopsychosocial determinants in middle-income settings is limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of functional constipation and its associations with sociodemographic characteristics, dietary habits, eating behaviors, physical activity, and anthropometric factors among adults in Türkiye. Methods: This study was conducted with 429 individuals aged 19–64 years who presented for examination and follow-up at the Department of Internal Medicine outpatient clinic of a public hospital in Türkiye. Functional constipation was defined by Rome IV criteria. Constipation severity was assessed with the Constipation Severity Instrument. Eating disorder risk was screened using the five-item The Sick, Control, One Stone, Fat, Food (SCOFF) Questionnaire; picky eating was measured with the Adult Picky Eating Questionnaire. Anthropometrics were measured to compute body mass index (BMI). Physical activity and selected dietary frequencies were self-reported. Predictors of functional constipation were examined via binary logistic regression with covariates informed by prior literature. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. Results: Participants’ mean age was 38.2 ± 15.0 years; 53.1% were female; 50.6% had BMI ≥ 25 kg/m². The prevalence of functional constipation was 21.0% (90/429). In multivariable analyses, higher age (OR = 1.029, 95% CI: 1.005–1.055) and female sex (OR = 1.899, 95% CI: 1.007–3.578) were associated with greater odds of functional constipation. Eating disorder risk was also associated with greater odds of functional constipation (per point on SCOFF: OR = 1.280, 95% CI: 1.024–1.600). In contrast, higher BMI was associated with lower odds (OR = 0.932, 95% CI: 0.879–0.989), and engaging in physical activity was associated with substantially lower odds of functional constipation (OR = 0.168, 95% CI: 0.095–0.300). Family history, smoking, alcohol use, water intake, and frequencies of meat, vegetable, and fruit consumption were not significant in the adjusted model; meal skipping showed borderline significance (OR = 2.001, 95% CI: 0.996–4.020; p = 0.051). Conclusions: The findings of the study indicate that functional constipation has a considerable prevalence in this clinical adult sample. Functional constipation was associated with older age, female sex, and eating disorder risk, and was inversely associated with higher BMI and physical activity. The results support the routine assessment of eating disorder risk and the promotion of physical activity as part of comprehensive management strategies. Prospective studies are needed to clarify the causal pathways underlying these observed associations.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to translate, culturally adapt, and psychometrically validate the Anticipated Effects of Food Scale (AEFS) for use in Türkiye. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 742 adults completed an online survey including the AEFS, Palatable Eating Motives Scale (PEMS), and Eating Expectancy Inventory (EEI). The adaptation followed international guidelines for translation and test adaptation. Psychometric analyses included content validity, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Rasch modeling (Rating Scale Model), internal consistency (Cronbach’s α, McDonald’s ω), test–retest reliability (ICC), and convergent validity. Findings: Content validity indices ranged from 0.88 to 1.00 (S-CVI = 0.94). EFA confirmed the original two-factor structure (positive and negative emotional expectancies). Rasch analysis identified cultural and statistical misfit in the items “Ashamed” and “Worried,” which were removed. The final 29-item version demonstrated excellent item fit (Infit/Outfit MNSQ 0.54–1.46), adequate unidimensionality, high person-separation reliability (>0.88), strong internal consistency (α=0.927–0.969; ω=0.927–0.970), and moderate-to-high test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.783–0.833). AEFS subscales showed theoretically meaningful positive correlations with PEMS and EEI, supporting convergent validity. Originality/value: This is the first validation of the AEFS in the Turkish context and one of the few studies to apply Rasch modeling to expectancy-based eating measures. The refined Turkish AEFS provides a culturally robust and psychometrically strong tool for assessing emotional expectancies toward food. It offers valuable applications for research, clinical assessment, and interventions targeting expectancy-driven eating behaviors in Türkiye.

Aim: To examine the associations between premenstrual syndrome (PMS), emotional appetite, and specific food choices during menstruation among female students enrolled in the Faculty of Health Sciences. Subjects and Method: In this analytical cross-sectional study, 400 female students (18-30 years) completed the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS) and the Emotional Appetite Questionnaire (EMAQ). PMS was classified using the PMSS, and negative and positive emotional appetite totals were derived from the EMAQ. Group differences and associations were evaluated using nonparametric tests, correlation analyses, and multivariable models, including ANCOVA and logistic regression, adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), and emotional appetite. Results: The prevalence of PMS was 82.0% (n=328). Participants with PMS were older than those without PMS (median age 21 vs. 20 years; p=0.012), although no significant difference in BMI was observed. The PMS group showed higher EMAQ Negative (47.32±0.67 vs. 40.95±1.44; F (1, 396)=16.017, p<0.001, partial η²=0.039) and EMAQ Positive (50.69±1.07 vs. 41.21±2.28; F(1, 396)=14.125, p<0.001, partial η²=0.034) scores. During menstruation, PMS status was associated with higher odds of consuming packaged processed foods (aOR=1.99, 95% CI: 1.14-3.50) and fast food (aOR=2.15, 95% CI: 1.21-3.80) in the fully adjusted models. Regular breakfast consumption was borderline lower among students with PMS (aOR=0.50, 95% CI: 0.25-1.00; p=0.050). Conclusion: PMS was associated with heightened emotional appetite and altered menstrual dietary patterns, including increased convenience food intake and reduced breakfast regularity. These findings highlight the potential for screening and targeted nutritional counseling for PMS-related dietary changes in young adults.

This study examined how perceived stress and sleep quality related to healthy eating behaviors among nursing students and explored the extent to which these factors are statistically associated with health-promoting lifestyle behaviors. In this study adopting a cross-sectional and descriptive-correlational design, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14), the Sleep Quality Scale (SQS-SVQ), and the Healthy Lifestyle Behavior Scale II (HLBS-II) were used. A total of 411 students (177 males and 234 females) participated in the study. Spearman correlations showed a weak but significant inverse association between perceived stress and health-promoting lifestyle behaviors (r=-0.241, p<0.001). Likewise, stress level was negatively linked with sleep quality (r=-0.317, p<0.001), whereas sleep quality was positively linked with health-promoting lifestyle behaviors (r=0.290, p<0.001). A modest negative association was also found between body mass index (BMI) and the nutrition subscale of health-promoting lifestyle behaviors (r=-0.235, p<0.001). Multiple linear regression indicated that nutrition behaviors were independently associated with better sleep quality (β=0.134, p=0.006), lower BMI (β=-0.161, p<0.001), older age (β=0.178, p<0.001), and physical activity (β=0.184, p<0.001) (adjusted R²=0.127, F(7, 403)=9.486, p<0.001). Although the effect sizes were in the weak range, the statistically significant associations observed in this study suggest that holistic strategies, including sleep hygiene and stress management, may support healthier eating and health-promoting lifestyle behaviors in nursing students and therefore warrant further evaluation in longitudinal intervention studies.