Anxiety for the planet, health for the body: the relationship between eco-anxiety and the Mediterranean diet in Turkish young adults.

BACKGROUND

Eco-anxiety is a psychological state that expresses concerns about climate change and is thought to affect individuals' adherence to the Mediterranean diet; however, no study has examined this relationship. This study aimed to examine the relationship between eco-anxiety and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in young adults, one of the age groups most affected by eco-anxiety.

RESULTS

Of the 736 individuals who participated in the study, 70.5% were female, and the mean age was 20.9 ± 1.8 years. Higher levels of eco-anxiety were found in females and in those studying in health-related departments (P < 0.05). The eco-anxiety score tends to be higher in individuals with a higher Mediterranean diet adherence scale score (β = 0.322, 95% CI: 0.129-0.503, P = 0.001) and in those in health-related departments (β = 4.541, 95% CI: 3.729-5.317, P < 0.001), while it tends to decrease with higher income levels (β = -0.622, 95% CI: -1.171 to -0.072, P = 0.027). CONCLUSİON: The study results indicate that eco-anxiety is not entirely negative. Moderate levels of eco-anxiety may enhance awareness of environmental issues and support adherence to the Mediterranean diet. © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.