Sep 7, 2026
2:00 PM3:30 PM
ePoster presentations
ePoster Stage 3: Obesity and the metabolic syndrome
Michela ZANETTI
PP419 - ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN EATING-RELATED ECO-CONCERN AND FLEXITARIAN DIETARY TENDENCIES IN ADULTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
PP419
ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN EATING-RELATED ECO-CONCERN AND FLEXITARIAN DIETARY TENDENCIES IN ADULTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
G. SABAN BOZAN1,*, A. BEŞPARMAK1, E. K. KÜÇÜKSÜLLÜ1, A. E. SOMTAŞ2, G. AYTEKİN ŞAHİN1
1Nutrition and Dietetics, NUH NACİ YAZGAN UNIVERSITY, 2Nutrition and Dietetics, ERCİYES UNIVERSITY, Kayseri, Türkiye
Rationale: This study evaluates the relationship between environmental awareness regarding nutrition and flexible vegetarian dietary preferences; it aims to understand how environmental awareness influences dietary behaviors and to identify the psychosocial factors that affect sustainable eating.
Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, the relationship between eating-related ecological concerns and tendencies toward a flexitarian diet was evaluated in 401 adults aged 18–65. Data were collected via an online survey including a sociodemographic form, climate change awareness (4 items), the Eating-Related Eco-Concern (EREC) Questionnaire (10 items), and the Scale of the Tendency Toward the Flexitarian Diet (STFLEX) (29 items).
Results: The median age of the participants was 21 (18–57) years, and the median BMI was 22.5 [15.6–41.0] kg/m². A total of 78.3% of participants reported feeling concerned about climate change, and 89.0% stated that they knew carbon emissions cause climate change. The median scores for EREC and STFLEX were 24 (19–30) and 61 (45–82), respectively. A positive, moderately significant correlation was found between the EREC and STFLEX scores (r=0.544, p<0.001). EREC scores were significantly higher in women and married individuals (p<0.05). Additionally, participants who were concerned about climate change had higher EREC and STFLEX scores than those who were not (p<0.001 and p=0.003, respectively).
Conclusion: Eating-related eco-concern was positively associated with a flexitarian tendency, suggesting that environmental awareness shapes sustainable dietary choices. However, flexitarian tendencies were also influenced by various sociodemographic and psychosocial factors, indicating that interventions promoting sustainable eating should address these factors alongside environmental awareness.
Disclosure of Interest: None declared