Browsing by Author "Akcali, Caglar"

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Citation - WoS: 2
Citation - Scopus: 2
A Randomized Trial of Inulin for Bowel Symptoms, Depression and Quality of Life in Constipation Predominant IBS
(Nature Portfolio, 2025) Akcali, Caglar; Ucar, Asli; Atay, Kadri
This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of inulin on bowel symptoms, depression and quality of life in individuals with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. This study was designed as a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial with a parallel design and a 1:1 allocation ratio. Individuals (n = 34) aged between 21 and 63 years with constipation-predominant IBS were included in the study. Individuals were randomly assigned to two groups: the prebiotic group (n = 17), which received a 50%/50% mixture of inulin/oligofructose (4.6 g twice daily, for a total daily dose of 9.2 g), and the placebo group (n = 17), which total received 9.2 g of maltodextrin per day. The intervention period was 8 weeks. Bristol Stool Scale, IBS-Visual Analogue Scale (IBS-VAS), IBS-Symptom Severity Score Scale (IBS-SSS), IBS-Quality of Life Scale (IBS-QoL) and Beck Depression Scale were administered to the participants at the beginning, 1st month and 2nd month. As a result, total IBS-QoL score increased in the prebiotic group (61.0 +/- 19.4 to 77.4 +/- 15.1; p < 0.006), whereas total IBS-SSS score decreased (267.3 +/- 56.0 to 195.8 +/- 59.0; p < 0.026). In the prebiotic group, significant improvement was observed in the IBS-VAS parameters of constipation status (2.2 +/- 2.3 to 4.9 +/- 2.5; p < 0.042(groupxtime)), psychological state (7 (2-10) to 9 (5-10); p < 0.006). It is thought that inulin may have beneficial effects on reducing symptom severity and frequency and on quality of life in individuals with IBS in whom constipation is predominant.
Self-Control as a Key Mediator and Moderator of the Relationship Between Psychological Distress and Food Addiction in a Large Community Sample of Adults
(Academic Press Ltd- Elsevier Science Ltd, 2026) Ceylan, Jiyan Aslan; Korkmaz, Aziz; Hatipoglu, Abdulkerim; Akcali, Caglar; Coskunsu, Sedat
Objective: This study investigated the extent to which psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and stress) predicts food addiction (FA) symptoms and examined whether self-control operates as both a mediator and a moderator in these associations. Method: A total of 4234 adults (40.7 % male) participated in a large-scale, community-based, cross-sectional survey conducted in T & uuml;rkiye. FA symptoms were measured via the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), self-control was assessed via the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS), and psychological distress was evaluated via the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). Statistical analyses were conducted in SPSS, with significance defined at p < 0.05. Results: Overall, 35.1 % of the participants met the criteria for FA, with no significant sex difference (p = 0.19). Logistic regression analyses revealed that greater anxiety (OR = 1.078, p < 0.01) and stress (OR = 1.109, p < 0.01) were significant predictors of increased risk for FA, whereas greater self-control emerged as a protective factor (OR = 0.952, p < 0.01). Mediation analyses confirmed that self-control partially accounted for the effects of psychological distress on FA symptoms, with significant indirect effects observed for stress (beta = 0.025), anxiety (beta = 0.029), and depression (beta = 0.032). Moderation analysis revealed that self-control attenuated the effect of depression on FA symptoms (interaction term: B = 0.002, p < 0.01), although no moderating effects were found for anxiety or stress. Conclusions: This study highlights self-control as both a mechanism through which psychological distress contributes to food addiction and a protective factor that reduces its impact. Enhancing self-control may help mitigate addiction-related eating behaviors.
Relationships Among Mediterranean Diet Adherence, Sustainable Food Literacy, and Depression in Healthcare Professionals
(BMC, 2025) Ornek, Nesrin O.; Akcali, Caglar; Ozyurt, Mehmet
Background The Mediterranean diet has been linked to beneficial physical and mental health outcomes, whereas sustainable food literacy supports environmentally responsible and health-conscious eating behaviors. Healthcare professionals, owing to their societal role, are a critical group for promoting these practices. Objectives This study aimed to examine the relationships among Mediterranean diet adherence, sustainable food literacy, and depression levels among healthcare workers and to explore their associations with demographic and lifestyle factors. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 251 healthcare workers. Data were collected via the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS), the Sustainable Food Literacy Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Statistical analyses included correlation and regression models. Results Compared with men, women scored higher on the sustainable food literacy subdimension. Nonsmokers demonstrated greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet, whereas individuals with chronic diseases had higher depression scores. Individuals with chronic diseases reported higher depression levels. The lowest adherence rates within the MEDAS items were observed for wine, fish and seafood, and fruit consumption, whereas the highest adherence was found for using tomato-garlic-onion sauces and preferring white over red meat. The participants with minimal depression reported significantly higher MEDAS and food literacy (knowledge subscale) scores than did those with severe depression. MEDAS scores were positively correlated with sustainable food literacy and negatively correlated with body mass index. Regression analysis indicated that depression negatively predicted both the MEDAS score and the sustainable food literacy score. Conclusions The findings emphasize the interconnectedness of adherence to the Mediterranean diet lozenge, sustainable food literacy, and mental health among healthcare professionals. Integrating nutrition education and promoting the Mediterranean diet may enhance psychological well-being while fostering sustainable eating behaviours. Future research should expand to diverse professional groups and evaluate the impact of targeted interventions.