Beyond age: understanding how mindful eating and food label reading shape generational differences in health outcomes...

The increasing prevalence of obesity and diet-related chronic diseases poses a considerable threat to public health. Consequently, understanding generational differences in dietary behaviors has gained growing importance. This study aims to examine the direct and indirect effects of generational cohort on anthropometric indicators and self-rated diet quality (SRDQ), mediated through mindful eating and food label reading attitudes.

This cross-sectional design study involved 2725 participants from Generations X (n = 786), Y (n = 933), and Z (n = 1006) living in Istanbul, Türkiye. Participants' sociodemographic characteristics and anthropometric measurements, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-hip ratio (WHR), were recorded. Data on SRDQ were collected, alongside responses to the Mindful Eating Questionnaire and the Food Label Reading Attitude Scale. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, and chi-square tests were applied to the data. The direct and indirect effects of generation groups were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Increasing mindful eating scores were associated with higher label reading attitude and SRDQ scores, while they were related to lower anthropometric risk indicators. Higher label reading attitudes showed an association with reduced WHR and increased SRDQ. Generation Z participants reported significantly lower scores for mindful eating, label reading attitude, anthropometric measures, and SRDQ than Generation X participants. Lower mindful eating scores were related to increased BMI among Generation Z, whereas lower label reading attitude scores were positively associated with WC and WHR. Furthermore, poor mindful eating and label reading attitudes and the combined effects of low mindful eating and label reading attitudes were linked to lower SRDQ.

Poor mindful eating and label reading attitudes in Generation Z may threaten long-term health sustainability and increase the risk of developing chronic diseases. Combining generation-specific public health strategies with interventions aimed at improving nutritional literacy and mindful eating habits from an early age could enhance individual and societal health outcomes.