Background: The Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) is a frequently used scale to evaluate eating behaviors and attitudes. In recent years, its use has increased due to the fact that the use of short forms is more practical. The aim of this study was to validate the short Turkish form of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) including 13 items.Methods: The study included 924 adults at a mean age of 30.3 ± 10.93 years. EDEQ-13 was translated and adapted to Turkish according to the Beaton Guidelines. The Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and the Body Appreciation Scale (BAS) were used to analyze their relationships to EDE-Q-13.Results: In this study, the rate of the total variance explained by the factors of EDE-Q-13 according to the Explanatory Factor Analysis (EFA) results of the scale was 83.54%. The Cronbach's alpha value of the scale was 0.89, and the Cronbach's alpha values of the 5 subscales were calculated in the range of 0.75–0.94. The criterion validity analysis showed an acceptable correlation between EDE-Q-13 and EAT-26, SWLS, and BAS. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed that the model had fit values that were acceptable or good.Conclusion: Both EFA and CFA results showed that it is appropriate to use the Turkish EDE-Q-13. EDE-Q-13 was significantly correlated with eating disturbances, body appreciation, and life satisfaction. In conclusion, the Turkish version of EDE-Q-13 possesses high levels of validity and reliability.

In recent years, there has been a rapid increase in the use of the internet and social media. Billions of people worldwide use social media and spend an average of 2.2 h a day on these platforms. At the same time, artificial intelligence (AI) applications have become widespread in many fields, such as health, education, and finance. While AI has the potential to monitor eating behaviors and provide personalized health support, excessive use of social media and AI can lead to negative effects. These include addiction and reduced quality of life. It is important to examine the attitude toward AI and its relationship with social media addiction, eating behavior, and life satisfaction. Research on the connection between AI attitudes and eating habits is lacking, which emphasizes the necessity of validating AIAS-4 in Turkish in order to ensure its efficacy in this context. The first stage of the study aimed to adapt Grassini’s (2023) Artificial Intelligence Attitude Scale (AIAS-4) into Turkish and assess its validity and reliability. In the second stage, it was aimed to examine the relationship between artificial intelligence attitude and social media addiction, eating behavior, and life satisfaction. This study cross-sectional and methodological study was conducted in two stages in Türkiye. 172 adult individuals underwent a validity and reliability study in the first stage (43% of them were men and 57% were women), which involved adapting the AIAS-4 into Turkish. In the second stage, the relationships between artificial intelligence attitude, social media addiction, eating behavior, and life satisfaction of 510 individuals were evaluated with an average age of 24.88 ± 7.05 years (30.8% male, 69.2% female). Using the snowball sampling technique, the survey was carried out on adults by reaching out to staff and their families from both universities (Gazi University and Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University) as well as students and their relatives. A face-to-face survey approach (delivered by an interviewer) was used for the study. In this study, the Social Media Addiction Scale-Adult Form(SMAS-AF) was used to assess social media addiction, the Scale of Effects of Social Media on Eating Behavior (SESMEB) was used to measure the impact of social media on eating behavior, the Contentment with Life Assessment Scale was used to evaluate life satisfaction, and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q total) was used to assess eating disorder symptoms. Pearson Correlation and Spearman Correlation according to normality and Linear regression analysis were used to analyse variables. AIAS-4 was a valid and reliable instrument in this study conducted in Türkiye (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.90 and McDonald’s omega = 0.89). Individuals spend an average of 3.7 ± 1.99 h per day on social media. All participants used WhatsApp, while 89.8% used Instagram. A negative correlation was found between AIAS and EDE-Q total, (r=-0.119 p < 0.05). BMI correlated positively with EDE-Q total (r = 0.391, p < 0.01). Higher AIAS scores were associated with increased time spent on social media (r = 0.129, p < 0.001). Conversely, higher AIAS scores were associated with lower EDE-Q total scores (r= -0.119, p < 0.001). SESMEB correlated positively with EDE-Q total (r = 0.169; p < 0.001). The model showed that BMI (β = 0.311; p < 0.001), AIAS (β =-0.157, p = 0.005), SMAS-AF (β = 0.036; p = 0.002) and SESMEB (β = 0.022; p = 0.038) affected EDE-Q total (p < 0.001 R2 = 0.198). This study revealed that the Artificial Intelligence Attitude Scale (AIAS) is valid and reliable for Turkish adults. The results show that BMI, social media addiction have positive, and AI attitude has negative impact on eating behaviors. These findings emphasize the importance of multidisciplinary approaches and awareness programs in the prevention and management of eating disorders.

This study aimed to determine the relationship between food insecurity and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), academic achievement, depression, anxiety, and stress among university students. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 2039 university students studying in Türkiye. Sixty-eight point two per cent of the students were food insecure. Food security (FS) scores were negatively associated with adherence to the MD and academic achievement, and positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress scores. A 1-unit increase in FS score resulted in a statistically significant increase of 0.458, 0.468, and 0.400 units in depression, anxiety, and stress scores, respectively, and a significant decrease of 0.140 units in the MD adherence screener score. Food insecurity among university students in Türkiye is very common, and students with food insecurity have low adherence to the MD and low academic achievement and high depression, anxiety, and stress scores. Financial support as well as financial and food literacy provided to students play an important role in managing food insecurity.

Background: Although Türkiye (Turkey) hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees, studies on food insecurity are limited. This study examined the prevalence and risk factors of food insecurity among Syrian refugees living in Istanbul, which has the highest number of refugees in Türkiye. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Syrian refugees in Istanbul between September 2021 and March 2022. The main income earners of 103 households were interviewed by a research dietitian, with the assistance of an Arabic speaking interpreter through hour-long face-to-face. Data on sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, nationality, marital status, educational status, the family income, the major source of family income, and the number of family members living in the household etc.) and household food insecurity status were collected. Household food insecurity status was assessed with the eighteen-item Household Food Security Survey Module. Results: The household food insecurity rate was 90.3%, and those of adults and children were 88.4% and 84.8%, respectively. It was observed that family income level was significantly associated with food insecurity. A one-unit increase in monthly income increased food security by 0.02 times (p < 0.001). The number of employed refugees in the food security group was higher than that in the food insecurity group (p = 0.018). A significant difference was found in the rate of occupation type of the major income earner between the groups (p = 0.046). Conclusions: High rates of food insecurity, particularly severe food insecurity, were found among Syrian refugees living in Istanbul. While more research is warranted to explore the root causes and efficacy of the current support system, it requires the immediate attention of policymakers at the national and international levels to implement effective policies and interventions.

Background and Objectives: Irisin is an adipo-myokine with potential metabolic effects in the body, and its association with childhood obesity is still controversial. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum irisin levels and anthropometric parameters, body composition, metabolic profiles, leptin, and adiponectin in obese and normal-weight children. Methods: The study sample consisted of a total of 80 children aged 6–10, including 44 obese children (BMI ≥ 97th percentile) and 36 normal-weight children. Anthropometric parameters were measured. Body composition was determined with the use of the Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) method. Metabolic profiles, as well as irisin, leptin, and adiponectin levels, were analyzed. Results: Anthropometric parameters and body composition were found to be significantly different between the obese and normal-weight groups (p < 0.05). Fasting blood glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, and leptin levels were found to be significantly higher in the obese group, while the normal-weight group had significantly higher HDL cholesterol and adiponectin levels (p < 0.05). Serum irisin levels did not differ between the obese and normal-weight groups, or based on sex, vitamin D levels, and insulin resistance status. There was also no statistically significant correlation between serum irisin levels and anthropometric parameters, metabolic profile, leptin, and adiponectin. Conclusions: The study concluded that the obese children who participated in this study had high leptin levels and low adiponectin levels, with no significant difference in the irisin levels between the groups. More comprehensive clinical studies are needed to investigate the relationship between irisin and adipokines in children.

Background: Children with healthier nutritional status are less likely to develop severe caries than those with a high-sugar content diet. Studies evaluating dental caries and nutritional status in school-age children have generally focused on dietary intake, diet quality, or anthropometric measures, and the number of studies evaluating them together is limited. Objective: It was aimed to evaluate the relationship between dental caries adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD), dietary intake, and Body Mass Index (BMI) in school-age children. Materials and methods: This study was conducted with 300 healthy children (52.0% boys, 48.0% girls) aged between 6 and 12 years. The data collection forms included sociodemographic characteristics, oral health practices of children, Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for children and adolescents (KIDMED), and food consumption records. Anthropometric measurements (body weight and height) of the children were taken. Dental examinations were performed by a pediatric dentist. Results: While the DMFT mean score of the children was 1.7 ± 2.09, the mean dft score was 2.9 ± 3.29. The mean of KIDMED scores was 5.9 ± 3.32. DMFT and dft scores decreased statistically as maternal education increased (p < 0.05). DMFT and dft scores were not statistically different between BMI groups according to gender and age (p > 0.05). DMFT scores differed statistically between KIDMED groups (p < 0.05). This difference was between low-optimal and low-improvement-needed groups. While there was a low negative correlation (r=-0.169) between calcium intake and DMFT score, a low positive correlation was found between glucose (r = 0.172) and fructose (r = 0.149) intake and dft score (p < 0.05). In regression analysis, while the children’s age related DMFT scores positively, maternal education and KIDMED scores related DMFT scores negatively. Also, children’s age and maternal education related dft scores negatively. Conclusion: In this study, adherence to the MD rather than nutrients was found to be important in dental caries. Also maternal education level was also found to be a determinant factor in dental caries in children. DMFT and dft did not differ between BMI groups.Further studies should be conducted to assess the impact of the MD on dental caries in children to develop dietary interventions for preventative purposes.