"Eating isn't just about paying attention-It's about the self-regulation of sensory attention while eating!": Exploring mindful eating by examining sensory attention and non-judgmental awareness in the context of eating cessation.

Abstract

Background: Recent research has focused on several critical categories linked to eating cessation, including decreased food appeal (DFA), physical satisfaction (PS), planned amount (PA), self-consciousness (SC), and decreased priority of eating (DPE). However, how these factors connect to mindful eating remains unclear. Aim: The present study sought to re-examine the relationships between these categories using the Reasons Individuals Stop Eating Questionnaire (RISE-Q) and the Mindful Eating Behavior Scale-Trait (MEBS-T). The MEBS-T measures the self-regulation of sensory attention (SA) while eating, and comprises two subscales-SA and non-judgmental awareness (NJA)-that align with the principles and literature of mindful eating and mindfulness, and create a possible distinction between attentive vs. regulated or reoccurring attentive eating. Methods: A sample of 485 participants was recruited, and Pearson's correlations and multiple linear regressions were used to assess the associations between the MEBS-T and RISE-Q variables. Results: The results indicated a positive association between mindful eating and DFA, PS, and PA, supported by both the SA and NJA subscales. Additionally, unique relationships were observed between the SA and NJA subscales and the SC and DPE scales of the RISE-Q. Multiple linear regression analyses further confirmed these associations and highlighted an increased variance of NJA. Conclusion: The findings emphasize the significance of NJA in understanding the cessation of eating due to negative emotions and social comparison. The study also underlines the potential role of NJA in enhancing attentive eating and its relevance for weight regulation management strategies. Further research is warranted to explore the implications of these findings and their potential applications in improving mindful eating practices.