Impact of Mindful Eating and Movement on University Students' Food and Physical Literacy, and Social-Emotional Competencies

Improvement in food literacy knowledge will be assessed using the Food Literacy Evaluation Questionnaire (FLEQ-Ch). This 15-item questionnaire is structured into three main dimensions: Planning and Management, Selection, and Preparation. It evaluates participants' knowledge related to making informed food choices. Participants respond to each item using a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (Never) to 3 (Always). The total score ranges from 0 to 45, with higher scores indicating higher levels of food literacy.

Improvement in mindful eating behaviors will be assessed using the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ), designed by Framson et al. (2009). This 28-item questionnaire evaluates eating behavior across five subscales: Awareness, Distraction, Disinhibition, Emotional Response, and External Cues. Participants rate a 4-point Likert scale from 1 (never/rarely) to 4 (usually/always). The total MEQ score is calculated as the average of all subscale scores, ranging from 28 to 112. The higher the score, the higher degree of mindful eating behavior.

Improvement in food literacy will be assessed through 24-hour dietary intake records. This metric evaluates participants' ability to maintain balanced eating habits. The 24-hour dietary intake will be measured each time on the day of the mindfulness session and on the days when participants complete the questionnaires.

Enhancement in physical literacy will be assessed using the Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument (PPLI). This instrument consists of 9 items across three subscales: Knowledge and Understanding, Self-Expression and Communication with Others, and Sense of Self and Self-Confidence. The Knowledge and Understanding subscale evaluates participants' attitudes and awareness of the health benefits of sports. The Self-Expression and Communication with Others subscale evaluates participants' social skills and confidence in natural environments. The Sense of Self and Self-Confidence subscale evaluates participants' physical fitness and self-management skills. The instrument consists of 9 items that are rated on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The total score for the PPLI ranges from 9 to 45, with higher scores indicating higher levels of perceived physical literacy.

Enhancement in physical activity levels will be assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF). This metric evaluates the frequency and duration of various physical activities over the past 7 days. It contains of 7 items. The total score for the IPAQ-SF is calculated in Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) minutes per week, reflecting the energy expenditure for each type of activity. The minimum score is 0 MET-minutes per week, indicating no physical activity, while there is no fixed maximum score, as it depends on the reported duration and frequency of activities. Higher scores on the IPAQ-SF indicate higher levels of physical activity, reflecting greater energy expenditure.

Enhancement in self-reported fitness elements will be assessed using the International Fitness Scale (IFIS). This metric evaluates participants' general fitness, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, speed and agility, and flexibility (1 = very poor, 2 = poor, 3 = average, 4 = good, 5 = very good). IFIS consists of 5 items, the total score is the sum of the individual item scores ranging from 5 to 25. Higher scores represent better perceived physical fitness across the different dimensions assessed.

Development in social-emotional competencies will be assessed using the Social and Emotional Competencies Questionnaire (SEC-Q), developed by Zych et al. (2018). This 16-item questionnaire measures social-emotional competencies across four dimensions: Self-awareness, Self-management and Motivation, Social Awareness and Prosocial Behavior, and Decision-making. Each item rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The total score is calculated by summing all subscale scores, from 16 to 80. The higher the score, the greater the social and emotional competence.

Measured using the Social Emotional Learning Scale-Young Adult Form (SELS-YF), developed by Karacan-Özdemir and Büyükçolpan (2021). This 20-item questionnaire measures the social-emotional learning skills of individuals aged 18-24 across five dimensions based on the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) model (2003): Self-awareness, Academic self-regulation, Social awareness, Relationship-building skills, and Responsible decision-making skills. Participants rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 (never) to 5 (always). Total scores range from 20 to 100, The higher the score, the greater the social-emotional learning skills.

Improvement in emotional regulation will be assessed using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale Short Form (DERS-SF). This metric evaluates participants' abilities to regulate their emotions effectively. Participants rate each item on a 5-point Likert scale, indicating how often the items apply to them, from 1 (almost never) to 5 (almost always). Each subscale score is computed as the sum of its corresponding items, with the total DERS-SF score calculated by summing all 18 items. This results in a range from 18 to 90, with higher scores indicating greater difficulties in emotion regulation.

Reduction in stress levels will be assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). This metric evaluates the degree to which participants perceive their lives as unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded. Each question scores from 0 (never) to 4 (very often). Questions 1 to 3 are assessed using a direct scoring method, whereas questions 4 to 8 are evaluated using a reverse scoring method. The total PSS-10 score is calculated by adding up the scores of each item, with individual scores ranging from 0 to 40. Greater scores correspond to greater levels of perceived stress.