Evaluation of diet quality and eating behaviour patterns in adults: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

The global increase in obesity highlights the need to examine diet quality and the eating behaviors that shape it. This study aimed to evaluate the eating behavior patterns and diet quality of adult obese. This study was conducted 375 healthy adults with obesity or not. Eating Behavior Patterns Questionnaire was applied. 24-hour retrospective food records were collected, and Healthy Eating Index-2020 (HEI-2020) scores were calculated. Of all the participants, 59.5% had inadequate diet quality, while 40.5% had moderate diet quality. The rate of moderate diet quality in females (46.2%) was higher than in males (34.3%) (p = 0.019). The rate of inadequate diet quality in obese participants (65.4%) was higher than in normal participants (53.7%) (p = 0.021). Consuming snacks score (p = 0.012), emotional eating score (p = 0.015), being planned score (p < 0.001) was higher in obese participants than that of normal participants, no significant differences were found in terms of other sub-dimensions adjusted for age. Obese participants have a lower HEI-2020 score than normal body mass index participants (p < 0.001, adjusted for age). Participants’ eating out, cultural/lifestyle behavior and HEI-2020 scores showed significant differences according to gender (p < 0.05). According to multiple regression analysis consuming snacks, emotional eating, being planned and HEI-2020 of participants differed by aged groups (p < 0.05). The finding of this study showed that sub-factors of eating behavior patterns and diet quality differ according to gender, age, smoking status and body mass index. Obese people’s increased tendency for emotional eating emphasizes the need for nutritional interventions with psychosocial support for this population.