Body Esteem Explains the Relationship Between Mindful Eating and Self-Compassion: a Mediation Analysis

Abstract

Research illustrates that high levels of self-compassion are associated with individuals eating in a mindful way. Previous research focusing upon emotional eating behaviours has suggested that body esteem is a mechanism that links self-compassion to eating behaviours, whilst mindful eating relates negatively to emotional eating and displays another, more adaptive way of eating. The present research explored whether body esteem could explain (i.e. mediate) the relationship between mindful eating and self-compassion. Two hundred participants were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional study to investigate the relationship between mindful eating, self-compassion, and body esteem. The present study highlights a positive correlation between mindful eating and body esteem, with a mediation effect being observed for mindful eating on self-compassion via the appearance subscale of body esteem. Possible explanations and future directions are discussed further with an emphasis on the need for more empirical work. In addition, suggestions are provided regarding the inclusion of body esteem within weight management interventions focusing upon mindful eating and self-compassion.