Affiliations: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Aylar Kargar, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey. Tel.: +90 05526296709; E-mail: Aylar.kargar@gmail.com.
Note: [1] https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8020-8095
Note: [2] https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5012-5838
Abstract: BACKGROUND:In recent years, plant-based diets and their effects on health have gained attention. This diet has become a preferred dietary style for managing obesity. Weight gain is influenced by various factors, such as low body image perception and obesity prejudice. OBJECTIVE:The purpose of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of plant-based diets among female students and their associations with obesity prejudice and body self-perception. METHODS:The research was conducted with 450 female university students. The anthropometric measurements were obtained based on self-reporting. the GAMS-27 Obesity Prejudice Scale and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relationship Questionnaire (MBSRQ) were applied to evaluate obesity prejudice and body self-perception, respectively. RESULTS:The study found no significant differences in anthropometric measurements between omnivores and vegetarians (p > 0.05). However, 78.6% of the students showed some level of tendency toward prejudice or prejudice against obesity. There was no significant relationship between body weight, BMI, and obesity prejudice in both dietary groups (p > 0.05). Yet, vegetarians had significantly lower mean scores on the MBRSQ, indicating body image dissatisfaction (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:While the anthropometric measurement and prejudice against obesity did not yield notable results, significantly lower scores on the MBSRQ indicated greater dissatisfaction with body image in vegetarians.
