Mindfulness facets differentially relate to self-reported negative and positive emotional eating types in treatment-seeking adults with overweight/obesity

Abstract

Background: Mindfulness is a meaningful therapeutic target in the treatment of emotional eating in adults with overweight/obesity. Descriptive research mapping relations between mindfulness facets and emotional eating types in treatment-seeking adults with overweight/obesity is needed. Methods: Cross-sectional relations between mindfulness facets (i.e., acting with awareness, describe, non-judgment, non-reactive, and observe; Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form) and emotional eating types (i.e., self-reported negative and positive emotional eating; Emotional Eating Scale-Revised, Emotional Appetite Questionnaire) were examined in a treatment-seeking sample of adults with overweight/obesity (N = 63). Results: Significant bivariate correlations revealed negative relations between mindfulness facets and emotional eating types. Multiple regressions revealed that higher describe (β = − 0.42, p = 0.004) mindfulness was associated with lower self-reported emotional eating–anger/anxiety; higher non-reactive (β = − 0.31, p = 0.01) and non-judgment (β = − 0.28, p = 0.02) mindfulness were associated with lower self-reported emotional eating-depression; and higher non-judgment (β = 0.26, p = 0.04) mindfulness was associated with higher self-reported emotional eating-positive. Conclusions: Describe, non-judgment, and non-reactive mindfulness were uniquely and significantly associated with eating in response to negative and positive emotions. Results suggest the potential need for intervention programs to be sensitive to the multidimensional nature of mindfulness in the treatment of distinct types of emotional eating in adults with overweight/obesity. Level of evidence: V, cross-sectional descriptive study.