The effect of a mindfulness-based body scan exercise on food intake during TV watching.
Appetite November 1, 2023 Khaleda Ahmadyar, Eric Robinson, Katy Tapper
A brief body scan meditation did not reduce snack consumption in a distracted setting, despite increasing state mindfulness. In a study with 137 participants, those who listened to a 10-minute body scan ate about the same amount of crisps (34.79g) while watching TV as those who listened to a control visualization (33.16g). The body scan raised state mindfulness but did not affect attention to bodily sensations, eating automaticity, or food intake. State mindfulness was linked to greater attention to bodily sensations while eating. Lower eating automaticity and relying on decreased food appeal and physical satisfaction to stop eating were associated with eating less. The authors argue that mindfulness may not reduce food intake when people are distracted, and future work should clarify the conditions under which it might.