Intuitive eating and body appreciation in type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Our objective was to explore the socio-demographic, clinical, and nutritional factors of body appreciation in type 2 diabetics. This is a cross-sectional observational study with 179 adults and older adults (60 ± 10 years old). Most of the sample was female (n = 133; 74.3%). Through logistic regression analysis, it was observed that being perceived as overweight was associated with a 91.6% lower chance of being satisfied with one's body. Trusting hunger and satiety cues doubled the chances of body satisfaction. Thus, eating more intuitively, attending to the signs of hunger and satiety, is associated with greater body satisfaction in type 2 diabetics.

Keywords: body image; body satisfaction; diabetes; eating behavior; intuitive eating.