Can Mindfulness Address Maladaptive Eating Behaviors? Why Traditional Diet Plans Fail and How New Mechanistic Insights May Lead to Novel Interventions

Abstract

Emotional and other maladaptive eating behaviors develop in response to a diversity of triggers, from psychological stress to the endless external cues in our modern food environment. While the standard approach to food- and weight-related concerns has been weight-loss through dietary restriction, these interventions have produced little long-term benefit, and may be counterproductive. A growing understanding of the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms that underpin habit formation may explain why this approach has largely failed, and pave the way for a new generation of non-pharmacologic interventions. Here, we first review how modern food environments interact with human biology to promote reward-related eating through associative learning, i.e., operant conditioning. We also review how operant conditioning (positive and negative reinforcement) cultivates habit-based reward-related eating, and how current diet paradigms may not directly target such eating. Further, we describe how mindfulness training that targets reward-based learning may constitute an appropriate intervention to rewire the learning process around eating. We conclude with examples that illustrate how teaching patients to tap into and act on intrinsic (e.g., enjoying healthy eating, not overeating, and self-compassion) rather than extrinsic reward mechanisms (e.g., weighing oneself), is a promising new direction in improving individuals’ relationship with food.

Women's Experiences with a Mindful Eating Program for Binge and Emotional Eating: A Qualitative Investigation into the Process of Change

“…36 Decoupling has been suggested to be a mechanism of action for mindful eating interventions, such that mindfulness training interrupts the relationship between disordered eating thoughts (e.g., self-worth as tied to eating patterns and body size) and subsequent disordered eating behaviors. 37,48,53 Our findings are also consistent with the Attuned Representational Model of Self, which posits that mindfulness-based positive embodiment fosters the ability to attend to one's physical and emotional needs through ''health-promoting self-care behaviors.'' 38 Notably, the aspects of mindful eating perceived as central to change by the women in this study relate entirely to developing adaptive methods of coping, rather than weight loss/management.…”

“…The program focuses on mindfulness training, delivered through a weekly in-person class with support from the Eat Right Now Ò app ( Table 2). 52,53 The weekly inperson class is a ''flipped-classroom'' style discussion group led by a trained facilitator, in which participants share experiences and problem solve struggles. It is based on a threestage model (termed the ''Three Gears'') intended to guide participants from disordered to normalized eating.…”

“…It is based on a threestage model (termed the ''Three Gears'') intended to guide participants from disordered to normalized eating. [53][54][55] Briefly, ''First Gear'' focuses on increasing awareness of one's eating-related behaviors (including perceived triggers) without judgment or attempt at change. In ''Second Gear,'' the focus is on observing the outcomes (i.e., emotions and physical sensations) of one's behaviors, again without judgment or attempts at change.…”

Management of Lifestyle Factors in Individuals with Cirrhosis: A Pragmatic Review

“…Most cities will have either online or in-person behavior change programs available for patients with obesity, including not only a focus on dietary restriction and increasing activity but also a growing focus on strategies to impact reward-related eating. 48,49 Avoidance of sedentary behavior, which is extremely frequent in cirrhosis (76% of waking hours spent in the sedentary state), 50 should be recommended even in patients not willing to undergo a formal exercising program. Written advice could be provided to the patient with guidance to increase daily physical activity within the context of NEAT (nonexercise activity thermogenesis).…”

Mindfulness como estratégia para o tratamento da obesidade infantil

“…Mindfulness ajuda a focalizar a atenção de maneira intencional sobre determinado objeto no momento presente, sem julgamentos, evitando o automatismo das ações (BROWN, 2003). Estudos conduzidos neste campo relataram melhora em 40-86% nos hábitos alimentares (RAZAVI, 2015;BREWER, 2018).…”