Evaluation of the Relationship Between Weight Bias, Intuitive Eating, and Physical Activity Among University Students

Objective: Intuitive eating has emerged as a health-promoting approach associated with improved eating behaviors and psychological well-being. Despite growing interest in intuitive eating, the interplay between intuitive eating, physical activity levels, and weight bias internalization (WBI) among university students has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to examine the relationships between intuitive eating, physical activity levels, and WBI, as well as the associations between WBI and the subdimensions of intuitive eating among university students. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study included 776 university students aged 19–31 years selected through stratified sampling at Mersin University. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form (IPAQ-SF), the Two-Factor Weight Bias Internalization Scale, and the Intuitive Eating Scale–2 (IES-2). Descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U tests, Kruskal–Wallis tests, and Spearman correlation analyses were performed. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The study sample consisted predominantly of female students (81.3%). Total intuitive eating scores were significantly lower among overweight and obese participants than among underweight and normal-weight participants (p < 0.001), whereas WBI scores were significantly higher (p < 0.001). Total intuitive eating scores were significantly higher among men than women (p < 0.001), although no gender differences were observed for most intuitive eating subscales(p > 0.05). Intuitive eating scores and subscale scores did not significantly differ according to physical activity level (p > 0.05). Body mass index was negatively correlated with total intuitive eating score (r = −0.289, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with WBI (r = 0.300, p < 0.001). WBI was negatively correlated with total intuitive eating (r = −0.282, p < 0.001), Eating for Physical Rather Than Emotional Reasons (r = −0.284, p < 0.001), and Reliance on Hunger and Satiety Cues (r = −0.250, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Weight bias internalization was significantly associated with lower intuitive eating scores among university students. Higher levels of WBI were particularly related to reduced reliance on hunger and satiety cues and lower tendencies to eat for physical rather than emotional reasons. These findings underscore the importance of addressing body-related attitudes and weight-related self-stigma when promoting intuitive eating behaviors among university students.