Food waste is considered one of the most serious sustainability challenges at the global level today. The continuous increase in the human population brings a growing demand for food and food products, which in turn leads to an increase in agricultural activities and food waste (1). Waste occurs at all stages of the food supply chain, yet it is particularly concentrated at the consumer level, a phenomenon directly related to individuals' dietary preferences (2). Food waste is not only an economic issue but also has significant environmental consequences. It is recognized as a critical threat to food security, the economy, and the environment (3). Each wasted food item represents the loss of valuable resources used during production such as water, energy, land, and labor, while also contributing to increased greenhouse gas emissions and climate change (4, 5). Among the impacts of food waste are the inefficient use of water and land resources, unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions, and the degradation of natural ecosystems and the services they provide (4). Combating food waste is a crucial step toward achieving sustainability. According to the food waste hierarchy, preventing food waste is the top priority due to its significant environmental benefits, as demonstrated by life cycle assessments (6). Nutrition plays an important role in preventing food waste. Conscious eating habits prevent waste by ensuring proper planning, storage and evaluation of food (5).

Most research on consumer behavior has focused on explaining the high levels of food waste at the household level and proposing solutions to reduce food waste by consumers (3, 7). It is observed that women play an important role in preventing food waste, and this may be related to their taking on more responsibility in the kitchen due to their gender roles (8). On the other hand, studies on environmental concerns have significantly advanced in recent years to understand the role of these factors in explaining environmental behavior (9).

Considering the active role of consumers—especially women—in food management within the household, investigating the relationship between food waste prevention behaviors and green eating tendencies has become an important area of research (8). Women play a critical role in household food planning, purchasing decisions, and waste management processes, which places them at the center of adopting sustainable dietary behaviors and reducing food waste.

Green eating is emerging as a key component of a sustainable nutrition approach. This concept offers a holistic approach that encompasses not only low environmental impact but also nutritious food choices, fair trade practices, biodiversity conservation, and support for local food systems. In this context, the concept of green eating (GE) is defined as a socially and environmentally conscious dietary pattern. It includes primarily plant-based eating, limiting red meat consumption, choosing local and seasonal foods, consuming organic products, and avoiding highly processed foods (10, 11). Studies have shown that plant-based diets are more efficient in terms of water and energy use and have a lower environmental footprint compared to meat-based diets (12, 13).

Improving nutritional quality while reducing environmental impact and achieving sustainable development goals has become a critical global focus (14). Consumers play a key role in transitioning the food system toward sustainability by adopting environmentally and socially responsible eating behaviors, also referred to as green eating (11). Green eating includes behaviors such as limiting red meat consumption, following a primarily plant-based diet, reducing intake of high-fructose corn syrup, eating organic foods, and shopping locally—all of which are associated with lower environmental impacts (10). Research indicates that primarily plant-based diets are more environmentally sustainable than meat-based diets due to lower fossil fuel and water usage (12, 13). Such dietary patterns are part of a broader shift toward more eco-friendly and sustainable eating behaviors (11).

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between women's attitudes and behaviors toward preventing food waste and their green eating behaviors, and to evaluate the potential mediating effect of body mass index (BMI) in this relationship. The findings are expected to contribute to the development of strategies for sustainable nutrition.

The conceptual framework of this research examines the effects of women's attitudes and behaviors toward preventing food waste on green eating. First, it is hypothesized that these attitudes and behaviors directly affect green eating (H1). Furthermore, it is anticipated that this relationship may occur not only directly but also indirectly. In this context, variables such as frequency of food waste prevention actions, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI) may act as mediators, explaining the impact of individuals' environmental sensitivity on their dietary behaviors (H2, H3, H4).

Furthermore, it is anticipated that these mediation effects may differ depending on individual demographic factors. It is hypothesized that age and income level will conditionally shape the indirect effects on green eating through frequency of food waste prevention actions, waist circumference, and BMI (H5–H10). Thus, the conceptual model suggests that environmental sensitivity may play a determining role not only in individuals' attitudes and behaviors but also in green eating habits through health indicators and demographic factors.

According to the sociodemographic characteristics of the women, food waste prevention and Green Eating is shown in Table 1. The ANOVA results showed that mean GE scores did not differ according to age groups [F_{(4, 863)} = 1.117, p = 0.34], yet mean FWP scores significantly differed [F_{(4, 863)} = 9.633, p < 0.001]. It is seen that the behaviors of the participants toward preventing food waste were low in the 19–29 age range. According to the results of ANOVA analysis, the mean scores of GE [F_{(4, 865)} = 2.338, p = 0.05] and FWP [F_{(4, 865)} = 3.272, p = 0.011] differ significantly according to educational level. Education level was an effective factor in preventing food waste and increasing Green Eating behavior. According to income levels, both GE mean scores [F_{(2, 865)} = 4.298, p = 0.01] and FWP mean scores [F_{(2, 865)} = 3.154, p = 0.043] differ significantly. It was seen that the mean scores of the behaviors toward preventing food waste of individuals with low income level were higher. Individuals with higher income level had higher Green Eating behavior scores. The mean scores of GE [F_{(5, 864)} = 0.941, p = 0.489] and FWP [F_{(5, 864)} = 1.329, p = 0.217] did not differ according to the number of people living in the household. While GE mean scores did not differ on occupation type [F_{(5, 864)} = 1.943, p = 0.08], it showed a marginal difference on FWP mean scores [F_{(5, 864)} = 2.143, p = 0.05]. It is seen that the behaviors of officer to prevent food waste are higher compared to other professions. While GE [F_{(3, 863)} = 0.836, p = 0.47] mean scores did not differ according to BMI levels, FWP [F_{(3, 863)} = 5.731, p = 0.001] mean scores differed significantly according to BMI levels. It was determined that overweight and obese individuals had high behavior scores for preventing food waste. Waist circumference groups do not have significant differences on GE [F_{(2, 853)} = 0.811, p = 0.445] and FWP [F_{(2, 853)} = 2.421, p = 0.089].

In the study, the frequency of women wasting various food groups was evaluated in Figure 1. It was determined that they wasted meat and eggs (%19,6), cooked meals (%18,1), and milk and dairy products (%17,2), respectively.

Table 2 shows Factor loadings, Cronbach's a, CR and AVE scores for GE in women. Factors 1, 2, and 3 represent Green Eating Behavior (Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), Decision Making for Green Eating (Items 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16), and Self-Efficacy for Green Eating (Items 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23), respectively. The CR value was 0.949, which significantly exceeds the 0.70 threshold. This indicates that the reliability of the structures was high. CR was a measure of the overall reliability of a collection of heterogeneous but similar items and provided a more accurate measure of reliability than Cronbach's α. The AVE of the primary variable set was 0.440. Although AVE values greater than 0.5 were preferred as they indicate that more than half of the variance in the indicators is explained by the latent construct, values slightly below this threshold may still be acceptable depending on the context.

The R-squared values show that the models account for between 14.09% and 25.72% of the variability in the outcome variables. Also, the F-statistics and p-values (< 0.001 for all models) shows that all models were statistically significant (Table 3).

The coefficients for each outcome variable are presented in Table 4 and relationship of food waste prevention and green eating behavior with a mediation analysis shown in Figure 2. Attitude and Behavior Scale Toward Prevention of Food Waste on GE is positively significant (B = 0.2117, p < 0.00). Therefore, H1 hypothesis was accepted. The Frequency of Actions to Prevent Food Waste has a strong, positive and significant effect on GE (B = 0.5409, p < 0.001). There was a positive and significant effect between FWP and FWP-FA (B = 0.4154, p < 0.001), indicating that as FWP increased, FWP-FA also increased. Waist circumference has a small negative yet significant effect on GE (B =−0.00041, p = 0.0418), indicating that GE decreased as waist circumference increases. The relationship between BMI and GE appears to be negative but not statistically significant. The indirect effect of FWP on GE via FWP-FA was significant across all ages and income levels, as indicated by the positive effects and the confidence intervals that do not include zero. Therefore, H2 hypothesis was accepted. The indirect effect of FWP on GE via waist circumference was not significant, as indicated by the confidence intervals that include zero across all age and income levels. This suggests that waist circumference did not mediate the relationship between FWP and GE. H3 hypothesis was not accepted.

The indirect effect of FWP on GE via BMI was not significant, as indicated by the confidence intervals that include zero across all age and income levels. This suggests that BMI did not mediate the relationship between FWP and GE. H4 hypothesis was not accepted. The index of moderated mediation for FWP-FA with respect to age was not significant, as the confidence interval includes zero. This suggests that age did not significantly moderate the mediation effect of FWP-FA. The index for income was zero, indicating no effect. H5–H6 hypothesis was not supported. The index of moderated mediation for waist circumference with respect to age was not significant, as the confidence interval includes zero. This suggests that age did not significantly moderate the mediation effect of waist circumference. The index for income was zero, indicating no effect. H7–H8 hypothesis was not supported. The index of moderated mediation for BMI with respect to age was not significant, as the confidence interval includes zero. This suggests that age did not significantly moderate the mediation effect of BMI. The index for income was zero, indicating no effect. H9–H10 hypothesis was not supported.

Food waste has recently emerged as a threat that has negative economic, social, and environmental consequences. The environmental and nutritional implications of food waste have attracted attention globally (29). There are many factors to consider in the relationship between food waste, nutrition and environmental sustainability (30). Consumers are estimated to be the most wasteful stage in the food supply chain (31). Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationship between attitudes and behaviors toward preventing food waste and Green Eating behavior with the mediating role of the variables of BMI, waist circumference, and the frequency of actions to prevent food waste.

Social media usage and digital marketing interactions in Türkiye are the main factors that positively affect consumers' green food purchasing attitudes and behaviors (32). Many factors hinder the widespread adoption of the green diet concept. Among these are cultural eating habits, economic conditions, and technological limitations in existing food production systems. The strong influence of cultural preferences leads individuals to maintain traditional eating habits, while economic constraints, particularly for low-income groups, limit access to sustainable food products. Furthermore, technological limitations in food production and distribution increase the production costs of green foods, making it difficult for these products to be widely consumed (33, 34). Various innovative approaches are being explored to effectively meet sustainable nutritional needs on a global scale. These include biofortification, personalized nutrition strategies, and the development of alternative protein sources. Alternative proteins, particularly algae, plants, and green leaf proteins, can contribute to the widespread adoption of green diets by offering solutions that are both high in nutritional value and have a low environmental impact. These innovations are critical for overcoming the constraints of the current food system and promoting sustainable nutrition, both environmentally and healthily (35, 36). Therefore, the widespread adoption of green diets depends not only on changing individual preferences but also on the integrated implementation of economic accessibility, cultural adaptation, and technological innovation. Within this framework, the development of sustainable nutrition policies and the promotion of alternative proteins and innovative solutions such as biofortification will play a crucial role in ensuring global nutritional security in the future (37, 38).

The most important action to reduce food waste is to have a well-informed and organized consumer. Current evidence confirm that food waste is a complex issue that requires a broad approach to analysis considering several factors simultaneously (39). In this study, it is seen that age, educational status, income status, and body mass index levels are effective in preventing food waste. The effects of these demographic and anthropometric factors on food waste are widely discussed in the literature (31, 39). In the studies, regarding the age of the household members, young people waste more than older people. Concerning education, the studies show that a lower level of education matches a smaller quantity of food waste. This result is explained by the fact that people with a higher level of education are more likely to have a higher level of income and tend to spend and waste more (8, 40, 41). On the other hand, some individuals with low education levels may not be able to accurately estimate the percentage of wasted food (8). In addition, the higher the level of education reported behavior toward food waste prevention is known to be better (42). As for income, according to a study, at a lower income level, the level of waste is no lower than that found in high-income families (43). In another study found that households with higher income levels had higher levels of food waste (44). However, this study determined that high education and high-income levels were associated with Green Eating behavior. Similarly, in the literature, it is stated that education level and high socio-economic level are effective in sustainable eating habits (45, 46). Although overnutrition/obesity is seen as a component of food waste, eating more food than needed can be considered as a strategy to prevent food waste (47). In this study, the high food waste prevention behaviors of overweight and obese individuals may be associated with their behavior of consuming more than they need to prevent food waste.

This study's results showed that meat and eggs, cooked meals, and milk and dairy products were the most wasted food groups in women (Figure 1). In studies conducted in different societies, it is seen that the most wasted foods are cooked meals, especially vegetables, dairy products and meat, and meat products (48, 49). Storage conditions, incorrect cooking methods, preparation errors, and shopping mistakes are some of the reasons why meat and meat products, milk and dairy products, vegetables, and fruits are wasted. The wastage of cooked meals is caused by the amount of cooking, storage conditions after cooking, deficiencies in meal planning and menu management (50, 51).

Prevention of food waste and sustainable nutrition interact bidirectionally. Prevention of food waste is crucial for achieving sustainable nutrition and minimizing environmental impact. However, sustainable diets are key to reducing food waste and improving environmental sustainability (44, 52). In this study, behaviors to prevent food waste were found to be positively associated with Green Eating behavior. The results of another study reveal that the perceived value of sustainability has a highly significant effect on attitude, personal norms, and social norms on waste reduction. In addition, the adoption of environmentally friendly eating is positively influenced, in descending order, by personal norms, social norms, and attitudes toward waste reduction (53). Promoting sustainable eating habits is essential to the prevention of food waste and supporting a more resilient and equitable food system.

As obesity affects both individual dietary choices and broader food system dynamics, it can significantly impact sustainable nutrition efforts. Obesity often leads to increased consumption of processed and calorie-dense foods, which can strain environmental resources and undermine sustainability goals (54). The increased demand for high-calorie, low-nutrient foods associated with obesity can exacerbate environmental degradation by promoting intensive agricultural practices and higher greenhouse gas emissions (55). Additionally, the prevalence of obesity may inhibit the adoption of sustainable nutritional practices because individuals may prioritize immediate satiety and comfort over long-term environmental benefits. In this study, high waist circumference was associated with low Green Eating behavior. Addressing obesity by promoting healthier, plant-based diets not only benefits individual health, but also supports sustainable food systems by reducing the ecological footprint of food production and consumption. Therefore, tackling obesity is crucial for advancing sustainable nutrition and achieving environmental sustainability goals.

In addition, it is seen that waist circumference and BMI levels, which are obesity indicators, have no mediating effect on the relationship between attitudes and behaviors toward preventing food waste and Green Eating behavior. Overnutrition and obesity, the consumption of food above more than a balanced energy intake, should be considered a form of FW. At the same time, overnutrition contributes significantly to the overall environmental impact of the food chain (56). Although overnutrition/obesity is considered a component of food waste, eating more than needed can be considered a strategy to prevent food waste (47). This situation may be associated with the fact that while attitudes and behaviors toward preventing food waste can be observed in obese individuals, the level of Green Eating behavior as a sustainable nutrition model is low. However, it was determined that the indirect effect of the attitude and behavior for preventing food waste on Green Eating through BMI and waist circumference did not depend on income level and age. Although food wastage has been shown to be lower in obese people, it should be noted that obesity should not be seen as a strategy to prevent food wastage due to their low compliance with environmentally friendly diets and health concerns.

Our study confirms that attitudes and behaviors toward preventing food waste directly promote green eating, while obesity indicators such as BMI and waist circumference may weaken this effect. Engagement in food waste prevention mediates the translation of attitudes into sustainable eating behaviors, and these effects vary by age and income.

Attitudes and behaviors toward preventing food waste are directly related to green eating behavior, and obesity status may negatively affect this relationship. Attitudes and behaviors toward preventing food waste are also effective in the development of sustainable nutrition behaviors, and obesity prevention is important in strengthening this relationship.

Education Programs Should Be Improved:

Socioeconomic Factors Should Be Considered:

Integrate Obesity Prevention Programs: