From diet culture to food freedom: A retrospective mixed-methods practice evaluation of intuitive-eating-informed non-formal nutrition education activities in Greece

Abstract

This retrospective mixed-methods practice evaluation examined participant feedback from a portfolio of intuitive-eating-informed, non-formal nutrition activities delivered in Greece between 2023 and 2026. The portfolio included a webinar on workplace stress and overeating, two in-person overeating workshops, in-person and online workshops on emotional eating, a five-session online support group and a mindful dining event. In total, 30 anonymous post-activity feedback records were reviewed. Quantitative feedback was summarised descriptively, while open-ended responses were analysed using a descriptive thematic approach. Overall, feedback was generally positive across formats. Respondents valued non-judgmental facilitation, peer exchange, reflective exercises, mindful and sensory eating activities, and opportunities to question restrictive food rules and food-related guilt. The findings suggest that the activities were acceptable to those who completed feedback and that the most meaningful elements were not limited to the provision of nutrition information. Instead, respondents valued the combination of experiential learning, self-reflection and group-based discussion. The findings should be interpreted cautiously. The dataset was small, feedback was voluntary, forms differed across activities, and no pre-post measures, follow-up data or behavioural outcomes were collected. Therefore, the study does not demonstrate effectiveness. Its contribution is more modest: it documents real-world practice, identifies participant-valued design features and provides a basis for developing a structured intuitive-eating-informed adult-learning programme with a stronger prospective evaluation design.