Effects of mindfulness and mindful eating on food intake and appetite: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Khaleda Ahmadyar, Qing Zhang, Danielle Ferriday, Elanor C Hinton, Eric Robinson, Andrew Jones, Angeliki Bogosian, Ge Chen, Katy Tapper
Clinical Psychology Review June 16, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2026.102780 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adults and children |
| Interventions | Mindfulness mindful eating |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Feeding behavior Appetite Energy intake Eating behavior Mindful eating |
| Key findings | Mindfulness and mindful eating interventions reduced food intake (standardized mean difference -0.24, 95% CI -0.35 to -0.12) but had no statistically significant effect on appetite. Effects were substantially larger in laboratory-based studies, and no relevant intuitive eating interventions were identified. The authors conclude that mindfulness and mindful eating reliably reduce food intake in controlled settings, but currently there is no evidence they influence appetite. |
Abstract
Mindfulness, mindful eating and intuitive eating practices are associated with healthier eating and lower body weight. However, experimental research in this area has shown mixed effects on food intake and theoretical accounts are underdeveloped. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the effect of mindfulness, mindful eating and intuitive eating interventions on food intake and appetite (hunger and fullness) in adults and children and compare effects across different subgroups to investigate potential mechanisms of action. Five electronic databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and Scopus) were searched for studies that experimentally manipulated mindfulness and/or mindful eating and/or intuitive eating, included a non-mindfulness control group and measured food intake (kcal or grams or percentage consumed or number of pieces consumed) and/or appetite (using visual analogue scales). Forty-one articles assessing mindfulness and mindful eating interventions were included (no relevant intuitive eating interventions were identified). Random-effects meta-analyses showed that mindfulness/mindful eating reduced food intake (n = 46 studies, SMD = -0.24, 95% CI [-0.35, -0.12], p < 0.001) but had no statistically significant effect on appetite (n = 11 studies). There were no significant subgroup differences observed between studies with different settings, interventions or food intake measures. However, effect sizes were substantially larger in laboratory-based studies. Overall, findings indicate that mindfulness and mindful eating reliably reduce food intake in controlled settings, but currently there is no evidence they influence appetite. The review underscores the need for higher quality and more ecologically valid studies using sensitive, real-world measures of appetite and food intake, and further work to clarify the mechanisms of action underpinning the effects of mindfulness and mindful eating.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cites 12
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review British Medical Bulletin April 21, 2021
- Inside the Mindful Mind Current Directions in Psychological Science December 1, 2013
- Healthy and unhealthy eating amongst stressed students: considering the influence of mindfulness on eating choices and consumption Health Psychology Report September 21, 2018
and 7 more in the library