Latent profile analyses of intuitive eating and motivation to regulate eating behaviors: Associations with diet quality, eating behaviors, and body image

Unhealthy eating behaviors and body dissatisfaction are prevalent in Western societies, underscoring the importance of identifying adaptive eating patterns that support diet quality and well-being. This study examined how intuitive eating and motivation to regulate eating behaviors combine into distinct profiles, and how these profiles relate to diet quality, eating behaviors, and body image. A sample of 408 French-speaking adults from Québec, Canada (65.20 % women; M age = 46.93 years) completed an online questionnaire. Using the four dimensions of intuitive eating (i.e., unconditional permission to eat, eating for physical rather than emotional reasons, reliance on hunger and satiety cues, body-food choice congruence) and amotivation, controlled, and autonomous motivations to regulate eating behaviors as indicators, four profiles emerged from latent profile analysis: Autonomous Intuitive Eaters (15 % of the sample), Moderately Intuitive Eaters (31 %), Mixed-Motivation Unattuned Eaters (11 %), and Disengaged Eaters (44 %). Men, individuals with lower education, lower income, and higher body mass index were more likely to be Disengaged Eaters. Comparisons across profiles showed that Autonomous Intuitive Eaters reported the most favorable pattern (greater diet quality and body esteem, fewer problematic eating behaviors), while Moderately Intuitive Eaters reported similar but less pronounced outcomes. Mixed-Motivation Unattuned Eaters achieved high diet quality but reported poorer body esteem and more problematic eating behaviors, whereas Disengaged Eaters showed the lowest diet quality and least favorable psychological outcomes. Findings highlight the interplay between intuitive eating and motivation, suggesting that fostering adaptive combinations of both may promote healthier dietary patterns and positive relationships with food.