An exploratory study of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction for emotional eating

Abstract

Emotional eating is an important predictor of weight loss and weight regain after weight loss. This two part study’s primary aim was to explore changes in emotional eating in a general population of individuals taking the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, with a secondary aim to explore whether changes in mindfulness predicted changes in emotional eating. Self-reported survey data exploring these questions were collected before and after the intervention for two sequential studies (Study 1 and Study 2). While there were no control groups for either study, in both studies emotional eating scores following the MBSR were significantly lower than scores prior to taking the MBSR (p<0.001; p< 0.001) In Study 2, changes in mindfulness were correlated with changes in emotional eating (r= 0.317, p=0.004). These results suggest that MBSR may be an effective intervention for emotional eating, and that further research is warranted to examine effects on weight loss and maintenance.

Mindfulness-based emotional eating awareness training: taking the emotional out of eating

“…To date, mindfulness-based interventions for weight loss have indicated that adding a mindfulness component to weight-loss interventions has the potential to strengthen their effectiveness [44,47,48,50,52]. The current study presented a case for mindfulness training occurring before weight loss is attempted, to specifically address psychological traits that underpin overeating and undermine weightloss efforts.…”

“…In effect they became more "in-tune" with or aware of the influence of external and internal triggers to eat, obtained distance from the influence of aversive emotions, in effect becoming less reactive, and developed enhanced control over impulsive urges. This explanation can be supported in part by the evidence reviewed regarding the positive effects of mindfulness on varied measures of cue-driven and emotional eating [31,32,44,49,50,[56][57][58][59]. However, until a randomized trial is conducted to disentangle the meditation and educational elements compared to an active control such conclusions warrant cautious interpretation.…”

“…Mindfulness-based interventions for weight loss have shown mixed success [28,[44][45][46][47]. Eating-related mindfulness interventions have mainly focused on weight and caloric intake as outcomes, rather than appetitive precursors of overeating [48].…”

“…Emotional eating was neither a primary outcome measure nor a strong focus in intervention curricula [47]. An observational study of participants taking the MBSR programme for stress reduction demonstrated a clear reduction in emotional eating scores despite no focus on eating behaviour as part of the intervention [44], though the scale used to assess emotional eating was not validated. An evaluation of an uncontrolled smartphone delivered Mindful Eating programme demonstrated reduction in food craving connected to emotional eating in overweight and obese individuals [49].…”

The effect of mindfulness‐based stress reduction on body image concerns of adolescent girls with dysfunctional eating attitudes

“…In this regard, Levoy, Lazaridou, Brewer, and Fulwiler () reported that treatment for reducing mental stress reduces emotional exertion. In a part of their findings, de Jong et al () reported that cognitive‐based therapy would lead to body awareness and reduce depression.…”