Mindful Eating Questionnaire Research Articles

Sensory-Based Nutrition Pilot Intervention for Women

Negative effects of restrained eating (ie, concerns about dieting and weight control) have been observed in eating behaviors. Such findings underscore the need to develop more positive approaches to promote healthy eating behaviors. The objectives of this pilot randomized controlled trial were to investigate and determine whether sensory-based intervention influenced eating-related attitudes and behaviors among restrained women, as well as reliance on physical signals for hunger and satiety. Between January and September 2011, data were collected using validated questionnaires (Restraint Scale, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, Mindful Eating Questionnaire, and Intuitive Eating Scale) at baseline (T=1), the end of the intervention period (T=2), and 12 weeks post intervention (T=3). At T=1, women (n=50) from Quebec City, Canada, were randomly assigned to an intervention group (sensory-based intervention) or a waiting list control group. Statistical analyses were conducted using mixed models, including the group, time, and group-by-time interaction. Women from the intervention group showed a significant decrease in Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire−Disinhibition and a significant increase in Mindful Eating Questionnaire−Disinhibition at T=2 vs T=3 (P=0.02 and P=0.02, respectively) and at T=3 vs T=1 (P=0.003 and P=0.002, respectively). Women from the intervention group also showed a significant increase in Intuitive Eating Scale−Unconditional Permission to Eat at T=2 vs T=1 (P<0.0001) and at T=3 vs T=1 (P<0.0001). These preliminary data suggest that sensory-based intervention can be a promising approach to improve eating-related attitudes and behaviors among restrained women, without exacerbating other behaviors such as restrained eating.

Development and Validation of the Mindful Eating Questionnaire

“Mindful eating” describes a nonjudgmental awareness of physical and emotional sensations associated with eating. This article reports the development of a mindful eating questionnaire (MEQ) to support rigorous scientific inquiry into this concept. An item pool was developed based on hypothesized domains of mindful eating. A cross-sectional survey examined associations of MEQ scores with demographic and health-related characteristics. The MEQ was distributed to seven convenience samples between January and May 2007, with an overall response rate of 62% (n=303). Participants were mostly women (81%) and white (90%), and had a mean age of 42±14.4 years (range 18 to 80 years). Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify factors, which were defined as the mean of items scored one to four, where four indicated higher mindfulness; the mean of all factors was the summary MEQ score. Multiple regression analysis was used to measure associations of demographic characteristics, obesity, yoga practice, and physical activity with MEQ scores. Domains of the final 28-item questionnaire were: disinhibition, awareness, external cues, emotional response, and distraction. The mean MEQ score was 2.92±0.37, with a reliability (Chronbach's α) of .64. The covariate-adjusted MEQ score was inversely associated with body mass index (3.02 for body mass index <25 vs 2.54 for body mass index >30, P<0.001). Yoga practice, but neither walking nor moderate/intense physical activity, was associated with higher MEQ score. In this study sample, the MEQ had good measurement characteristics. Its negative association with body mass index and positive association with yoga provide evidence of construct validity. Further evaluation in more diverse populations is warranted.