[Eating mindfully means using all of your physical and emotional
senses to experience and enjoy your food choices which can increase
gratitude and the overall eating experience.]
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PORTSIDE CULTURE

MINDFUL EATING  
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Editors, Harvard T. H. Chan The Nutrition Source
December 1, 2022
Harvard T. H. Chan The Nutrition Source
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_ Eating mindfully means using all of your physical and emotional
senses to experience and enjoy your food choices which can increase
gratitude and the overall eating experience. _

Mindful eating encourages one to make choices that will be satisfying
and nourishing to the body. , jeannetteferrary.photoshelter.com

 

What Is It?

Mindful eating stems from the broader philosophy of mindfulness, a
widespread, centuries-old practice used in many religions. Mindfulness
is an intentional focus on one’s thoughts, emotions, and physical
sensations in the present moment. Mindfulness targets becoming more
aware of, rather than reacting to, one’s situation and choices.
Eating mindfully means that you are using all of your physical and
emotional senses to experience and enjoy the food choices you make.
This helps to increase gratitude for food, which can improve the
overall eating experience. Mindful eating encourages one to make
choices that will be satisfying and nourishing to the body. However,
it discourages “judging” one’s eating behaviors as there are
different types of eating experiences. As we become more aware of our
eating habits, we may take steps towards behavior changes that will
benefit ourselves and our environment.

How It Works

Mindful eating focuses on your eating experiences, body-related
sensations, and thoughts and feelings about food, with heightened
awareness and without judgment. Attention is paid to the foods being
chosen, internal and external physical cues, and your responses to
those cues. [1] The goal is to promote a more enjoyable meal
experience and understanding of the eating environment. Fung and
colleagues described a mindful eating model that is guided by four
aspects: what to eat, why we eat what we eat, how much to eat, and how
to eat. [1]

Mindful eating:

considers the wider spectrum of the meal: where the food came from,
how it was prepared, and who prepared it

notices internal and external cues that affect how much we eat

notices how the food looks, tastes, smells, and feels in our bodies as
we eat

acknowledges how the body feels after eating the meal

expresses gratitude for the meal

may use deep breathing or meditation before or after the meal

reflects on how our food choices affect our local and global
environment

Seven practices of mindful eating

From SAVOR: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life [2]

Honor the food. Acknowledge where the food was grown and who prepared
the meal. Eat without distractions to help deepen the eating
experience.

Engage all senses. Notice the sounds, colors, smells, tastes, and
textures of the food and how you feel when eating. Pause periodically
to engage these senses.

Serve in modest portions. This can help avoid overeating and food
waste. Use a dinner plate no larger than 9 inches across and fill it
only once.

Savor small bites, and chew thoroughly. These practices can help slow
down the meal and fully experience the food’s flavors.

Eat slowly to avoid overeating. If you eat slowly, you are more likely
to recognize when you are feeling satisfied, or when you are about 80%
full, and can stop eating.

Don’t skip meals. Going too long without eating increases the risk
of strong hunger, which may lead to the quickest and easiest food
choice, not always a healthful one. Setting meals at around the same
time each day, as well as planning for enough time to enjoy a meal or
snack reduces these risks.

Eat a plant-based diet, for your health and for the planet. Consider
the long-term effects of eating certain foods. Processed meat and
saturated fat are associated with an increased risk of colon cancer
and heart disease. Production of animal-based foods like meat and
dairy takes a heavier toll on our environment than plant-based foods.

The Research So Far

The opposite of mindful eating, sometimes referred to as mindless or
distracted eating, is associated with anxiety, overeating, and weight
gain. [3] Examples of mindless eating are eating while driving, while
working, or viewing a television or other screen (phone, tablet). [4]
Although socializing with friends and family during a meal can enhance
an eating experience, talking on the phone or taking a work call while
eating can detract from it. In these scenarios, one is not fully
focused on and enjoying the meal experience. Interest in mindful
eating has grown as a strategy to eat with less distractions and to
improve eating behaviors.

Intervention studies have shown that mindfulness approaches can be an
effective tool in the treatment of unfavorable behaviors such as
emotional eating and binge eating that can lead to weight gain and
obesity, although weight loss as an outcome measure is not always
seen. [5-7] This may be due to differences in study design in which
information on diet quality or weight loss may or may not be provided.
Mindfulness addresses the shame and guilt associated with these
behaviors by promoting a non-judgmental attitude. Mindfulness training
develops the skills needed to be aware of and accept thoughts and
emotions without judgment; it also distinguishes between emotional
versus physical hunger cues. These skills can improve one’s ability
to cope with the psychological distress that sometimes leads to binge
eating. [6]

Mindful eating is sometimes associated with a higher diet quality,
such as choosing fruit instead of sweets as a snack, or opting for
smaller serving sizes of calorie-dense foods. [1]

A literature review of 68 intervention and observational studies on
mindfulness and mindful eating found that these strategies improved
eating behaviors such as slowing down the pace of a meal and
recognizing feelings of fullness and greater control over eating. [8]
Slower eating was associated with eating less food, as participants
felt fuller sooner. Mindfulness and mindful eating interventions
appeared most successful in reducing binge eating and emotional
eating. However, the review did not show that these interventions
consistently reduced body weight. Limitation of the studies included
small sample sizes, limited durations of about 6 months or less, lack
of focus on diet quality, and lack of follow-up so that longer-term
success was not determined.

A randomized controlled trial following 194 adults with obesity (78%
were women) for 5.5 months looked at the effects of a mindfulness
intervention on mindful eating, sweets consumption, and fasting
glucose levels. The participants were randomly assigned to one of two
groups: a diet and exercise program with mindfulness concepts (stress
reduction, chair yoga, meditation, affirmations) or the same program
but without mindfulness concepts. After 12 months, the mindfulness
group showed a decreased intake of sweets and maintenance of fasting
blood glucose, as opposed to the control group showing increased
fasting blood glucose. [9] The research authors also evaluated weight
loss with these participants, but did not find a significant
difference in weight changes between the mindfulness group and control
group. [10]

A small controlled trial of 50 adults with type 2 diabetes were
randomized to either a 3-month mindful eating intervention that was
focused on reducing overeating and improving eating regulation or to a
diabetes self-management education (DSME) intervention that was
focused on improving food choices. Both groups showed significant
improvements in measures of depression, nutrition self-efficacy, and
controlling overeating behaviors. Both groups lost weight during the
intervention but there was no difference in amount of weight loss
between groups. [11]

It is important to note that currently there is no standard for what
defines mindful eating behavior, and there is no one widely recognized
standardized protocol for mindful eating. Research uses a variety of
mindfulness scales and questionnaires. Study designs often vary as
well, with some protocols including a weight reduction component or
basic education on diet quality, while others do not. Additional
research is needed to determine what behaviors constitute a mindful
eating practice so that a more standardized approach can be used in
future studies. [1] Standardized tools can help to determine the
longer-term impact of mindful eating on health behaviors and disease
risk and prevention, and determine which groups of people may most
benefit from mindfulness strategies. [1]

Are mindful eating strategies applicable in youth?

Potential Pitfalls

Mindful eating is not intended to replace traditional treatments for
severe clinical conditions such as eating disorders. Neurochemical
imbalances are a risk factor for developing eating disorders such as
bulimia and anorexia nervosa, and although mindfulness may be an
effective component of a treatment plan, it should not be used as a
sole treatment.

May not be effective as a weight loss strategy on its own, but rather
a complement to a weight loss program. Mindful eating embraces making
food choices that promote well-being and increasing enjoyment of the
eating experience. Traditional weight loss regimens focus on following
a structured meal plan that may not necessarily be satisfying or
enjoyable. Combining mindfulness with a meal plan under the guidance
of a registered dietitian may reduce the risk of emotional overeating
or binge eating. [14] Research has not consistently shown that
mindfulness strategies lead to weight loss, but this may be due to the
study design not including education on healthy eating choices as part
of the mindfulness intervention.

Bottom Line

Mindful eating is an approach to eating that can complement any eating
pattern. Research has shown that mindful eating can lead to greater
psychological wellbeing, increased pleasure when eating, and body
satisfaction. Combining behavioral strategies such as mindfulness
training with nutrition knowledge can lead to healthful food choices
that reduce the risk of chronic diseases, promote more enjoyable meal
experiences, and support a healthy body image. More research is needed
to examine whether mindful eating is an effective strategy for weight
management.

Mindful eating in context of COVID-19

As COVID-19 lockdowns began, reports of food stockpiling by consumers
(with trends toward shelf-stable, energy-dense comfort foods) fueled
concern that adults may increase their overall food intake during
extended isolation, thus leading to weight gain. [15] Along with the
potential for increased emotional eating due to the numerous stressors
brought on by the pandemic, researchers noted that home confinement
provides an altered exposure to food cues, which may enhance impulsive
eating behaviors. [16] The simultaneous loss of social eating
opportunities was also flagged for its potential to reduce mindful
eating practices, which could negatively influence food choice and
promote overeating. [16] All said, the full impacts at a
population-level remain to be seen amidst varying degrees of lockdown
mandates and compliance with social-distancing measures worldwide.

In the meantime, individuals may consider incorporating any number of
mindful eating strategies in their daily lives alongside other
important measures to help stay healthy during COVID-19. For example:

If you’re working from home and find that “office” time blends
into all hours of the day, schedule times in your calendar to only
eat: a lunch break away from your computer, a reserved time for dinner
with your family, etc.

If you find yourself standing in your pantry or staring in your
refrigerator, pause and ask yourself: “am I truly hungry, or am I
just bored or stressed?” If hungry, eat. If boredom or stress is the
source, reroute your attention to an activity you enjoy, call a
friend, or simply spend some time breathing.

If you have a craving for comfort foods, pause and take a few
in-breaths and out-breaths to be fully present with your craving. Take
a portion of the food from the container (a handful of chips, a scoop
of ice cream) and put it on a plate. Eat mindfully, savoring each
bite.

A note about eating disorders: The COVID-19 pandemic may raise unique
challenges for individuals with experience of eating disorders. [17]
In the U.S., the National Eating Disorders Association has reported a
significant increase in calls and messages for help as compared to a
year ago. As noted, mindful eating is not intended to replace
traditional treatments for severe clinical conditions such as eating
disorders. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating
disorder, you can call the National Eating Disorders Association
Helpline at 1-800-931-2237, or text “NEDA” to 741-741.

A note about food insecurity: Many individuals may be facing food
shortages because of unemployment or other issues related to the
pandemic. If you (or someone you know) are struggling to access enough
food to keep yourself or your family healthy, there are several
options to help. Learn more about navigating supplemental food
resources.

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