The relationship between internet addiction and intuitive eating: a cross-sectional study among young adults

BACKGROUND: With digitalisation rapidly transforming young people’s lifestyles, the effects of internet use on eating behaviour have become increasingly important from a public health perspective. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the level of internet addiction and intuitive eating behaviours among young adults aged 18–25 living in Türkiye. Additionally, the effects of individuals’ socio-demographic characteristics, physical activity levels, eating habits, and anthropometric measurements on internet addiction and intuitive eating were evaluated. METHODS: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted between July and August 2025 via an online survey form on 892 young adults (aged 18–25). The data collection tools used were the Young Internet Addiction Test and the Intuitive Eating Scale (IES), The four subscales of the IES—Unconditional Permission to Eat (UPE), Reliance on Hunger and Satiety Cues (RHSC), Eating for Physical Rather Than Emotional Reasons (EPRER), and Body–Food Choice Congruence (BFCC)—were analysed separately. Correlation, Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis, and post-hoc analyses were applied in the evaluation of the data. RESULTS: The mean score on the Young Internet Addiction Test among young adults was 30.3 ± 9.6, while the total score for intuitive eating was determined to be 3.1 ± 0.5. An inverse relationship was observed between intuitive eating level and internet addiction; as internet addiction increased, the scores for UPE and EPRER decreased (p < 0.05). It was found that intuitive eating scores decreased as BMI increased; however, intuitive eating scores increased as education level increased (p < 0.05). It was determined that as internet addiction scores increased, physical activity levels decreased and sleep duration increased. Regarding meal consumption, it was determined that those who consumed two main meals had the highest intuitive eating scores; as snack consumption increased, intuitive eating scores decreased (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Internet addiction weakens intuitive eating in young individuals, while higher education and balanced meals strengthen it. As digital lifestyle significantly shapes eating behaviours, programmes promoting intuitive eating and healthy digital habits are recommended for young adults.