Exploring differences in mindfulness and mindful eating between adults with varying weight status.

Abstract

Purpose: Mindfulness is increasingly being investigated as a relevant factor for weight management. It is currently unclear how and which underlying dispositional mindfulness and eating behavior-specific mindfulness processes are related to body weight. The purpose of this study was to investigate how dispositional mindfulness and mindful eating facets differ between adults with lower weight, overweight, and obesity.

Methods: Dutch adults (N = 1118; M_age = 52.1) completed a cross-sectional assessment of dispositional mindfulness, mindful eating, and body mass index (BMI). Multivariate analyses were used to examine differences between BMI groups (i.e., participants with lower weight, overweight, and obesity) on dispositional mindfulness and mindful eating facets, controlling for demographics and meditation experience.

Results: There were no differences between the BMI groups in dispositional mindfulness facets. In terms of mindful eating, participants with obesity showed a heightened awareness of the effects of environmental cues on their eating behavior, and a lower capacity to refrain from reactive responses and judgment toward their eating, in comparison to participants with a lower weight.

Conclusion: Results suggest that behavior-specific mindful eating may be a relevant factor to address to promote healthy weight management in the general, non-treatment-seeking population. These explorative findings need to be replicated and explored further through studies utilizing more robust, longitudinal research designs.