Mindfulness, self-compassion, and mindful eating in relation to fat and sugar consumption: an exploratory investigation.
Michail Mantzios, Helen H. Egan, Misba Hussain, Rebecca Keyte, Henna Bahia
Eating and weight disorders : EWD July 31, 2018 DOI: 10.1007/s40519-018-0548-4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional descriptive study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 546 |
| Population | University students |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Dietary fats Cross-sectional studies Feeding behavior Empathy Adolescent Female Young adult Dietary sugars Obesity Fat consumption Self-compassion Sugar consumption Mindful eating |
| Key findings | Mindfulness, mindful eating, and self-compassion were each negatively related to fat and sugar consumption, though self-compassion was not related when examined univariately. Negative subscales such as isolation and over-identification showed a significant positive relationship with fat and sugar consumption. The authors call for more empirical work. |
Abstract
While much research has focused on overeating when exploring constructs of mindfulness, mindful eating, and self-compassion, there is limited research on the specific relationship of these constructs with consumption of energy-dense foods that have a large impact on weight regulation. In a cross-sectional study, university students (n = 546) were recruited to explore the relationship between mindfulness, mindful eating, self-compassion, and fat and/or sugar consumption. Results indicated that all constructs were negatively related to fat and sugar consumption, but self-compassion did not do so in a univariate fashion. When investigating subscales, negative aspects such as isolation and over-identification show a significant positive relationship to fat and sugar consumption. Possible explanations and future directions are discussed further with an emphasis on the need for more empirical work. Level of Evidence: Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Healthy and unhealthy eating amongst stressed students: considering the influence of mindfulness on eating choices and consumption Health Psychology Report September 21, 2018
- Lace Up and Mindfulness: A Randomized Controlled Trial Intervention to Reduce Emotional Eating, Anxiety, and Sleep Disturbances in Latinx and Black Youth. Children (Basel, Switzerland) March 10, 2023
- When Does Mindfulness Translate Into Consumer Well‐Being? The Role of Mindful Consumption and Meditation Regularity Psychology and Marketing October 5, 2026
- Nourish to Flourish: A mindful eating intervention for older adults improves dietary awareness and well-being. Nutrition and health July 17, 2026
- Mindfulness, mental health, and motives for eating tasty foods when not in metabolic need. Frontiers in Psychology 2023
and 2 more in the library
Cites 9
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- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Health Care Professionals: Results From a Randomized Trial. International Journal of Stress Management May 1, 2005
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- Effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on mindful eating, sweets consumption, and fasting glucose levels in obese adults: data from the SHINE randomized controlled trial. Journal of Behavioral Medicine November 12, 2015
and 4 more in the library