Personality traits in relation to mindful eating among university students in Türkiye.
- 1Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Kurupelit Campus, Atakum, Samsun, Türkiye. [email protected].
- 2Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bayburt University, Bayburt, Türkiye.
Abstract
Background
Personality traits influence eating behaviors and dietary quality, and given the high prevalence of unhealthy eating habits among university students and the benefits of mindful eating, the relationship between personality dimensions and mindful eating in this population represents an area requiring further research. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between personality traits and mindful eating behaviors in university students.Methods
This cross-sectional study conducted in Türkiye via an online survey from October to November 2025 involved 875 university students (80.1% women). Participants completed the Big Five Inventory-10 and the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ) to enable the assessment of personality characteristics and mindful eating behaviors, respectively.Results
Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and income/expenditure status, the Big Five personality traits were significantly associated with both total and subscale mindful eating scores, explaining an additional 2.4%-10.5% of the variance beyond the covariates (all ΔR² p < 0.001). For the total MEQ score, the final model explained 14.8% of the variance. Higher agreeableness (β = 0.125, p < 0.001), conscientiousness (β = 0.129, p < 0.001), and openness to experience (β = 0.106, p = 0.002) were significantly associated with higher total MEQ scores, whereas higher neuroticism was associated with lower total MEQ scores (β = -0.177, p < 0.001). Extraversion was not significantly associated with the total MEQ score.Conclusions
These findings suggest that mindful eating tendencies in university students may be associated with specific personality profiles, with greater agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience being associated with more mindful eating behaviors, while neuroticism may be associated with less adaptive patterns. Future longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of personality-tailored mindful eating interventions.
Related
- Vaccine hesitancy across educational stages and health disciplines among healthcare students at a public university in the Western Black Sea region of Türkiye: a cross-sectional study
- Intentional Use of Voluntarily Fortified Foods in Relation to Socio-Demographic and Lifestyle Factors, Including Adherence to a DASH-Style Diet, Among University Students
- Prevalence of adult attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder symptoms among university students and their relation to sleeping duration, time management skills, and academic performance
- Predictors of academic self-efficacy in medical intern students: the roles of mindful eating, physical activity, sleep quality, and mental workload.
- Factors associated with actual mode of delivery among women attending antenatal education at a university hospital in Türkiye: a retrospective observational study
BibTeX
@article{unal2026personality,
title = {{Personality traits in relation to mindful eating among university students in Türkiye.}},
author = {Gökçe Ünal and Özge Esgin},
journal = {BMC public health},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1186/s12889-026-29389-4},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42902194},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Personality traits in relation to mindful eating among university students in Türkiye.
AU - Gökçe Ünal
AU - Özge Esgin
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - BMC public health
DO - 10.1186/s12889-026-29389-4
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42902194
AB - Background Personality traits influence eating behaviors and dietary quality, and given the high prevalence of unhealthy eating habits among university students and the benefits of mindful eating, the relationship between personality dimensions and mindful eating in this population represents an area requiring further research. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between personality traits and mindful eating behaviors in university students.Methods This cross-sectional study conducted in Türkiye via an online survey from October to November 2025 involved 875 university students (80.1% women). Participants completed the Big Five Inventory-10 and the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ) to enable the assessment of personality characteristics and mindful eating behaviors, respectively.Results Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and income/expenditure status, the Big Five personality traits were significantly associated with both total and subscale mindful eating scores, explaining an additional 2.4%-10.5% of the variance beyond the covariates (all ΔR² p < 0.001). For the total MEQ score, the final model explained 14.8% of the variance. Higher agreeableness (β = 0.125, p < 0.001), conscientiousness (β = 0.129, p < 0.001), and openness to experience (β = 0.106, p = 0.002) were significantly associated with higher total MEQ scores, whereas higher neuroticism was associated with lower total MEQ scores (β = -0.177, p < 0.001). Extraversion was not significantly associated with the total MEQ score.Conclusions These findings suggest that mindful eating tendencies in university students may be associated with specific personality profiles, with greater agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience being associated with more mindful eating behaviors, while neuroticism may be associated with less adaptive patterns. Future longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of personality-tailored mindful eating interventions.
SN - 1471-2458
ER -