Intuitive eating and its associations with psychological and physical health indicators among rural U.S. adults

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence of intuitive eating and its associations with psychological and physical health indicators among rural U.S. adults (N = 187). The prevalence of intuitive eating was 13.9%, assessed using the IES-2. Psychological health indicators included anxiety and depressive symptoms (PHQ-4), perceived stress (PSS-10), and self-esteem (RSES); physical health indicators included self-reported BMI and diagnoses of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. Multivariate and logistic regression analyses showed intuitive eating was positively associated with self-esteem (b = 0.49, p < 0.001) and inversely associated with anxiety (b = −0.40, p < 0.001), depression (b = −0.49, p < 0.001), stress (b = −0.36, p < 0.001), and BMI (b = −1.41, p = 0.049), but not with high blood pressure or cholesterol (ps > 0.05). Findings highlight intuitive eating as an approach for health interventions supporting psychological well-being and weight management in rural populations.