Objectives
There remains a significant variability in the methods and techniques used to promote mindful eating for individuals with overweight and obesity. This variability in treatment programs may result in incongruent findings as well as present challenges in identifying active processes of behavior change. The purpose of the scoping review was to identify and to describe the various methods and techniques used to cultivate mindful eating behaviors in individuals with overweight and obesity. This discernment process is a crucial first step in better understanding why certain mindful eating programs are more effective than others.
Methods
Studies published prior to July 26, 2021, were retrieved from PsycINFO, MEDLINE, ProQuest, and Scopus. After screening and full-text review, 19 studies were included.
Results
The review highlighted several inconsistencies and instructional biases that may explain some of the observed heterogeneity in treatment effects. Specifically, our results showed a discrepancy between formal and informal practices. Although formal approaches encouraged a balance between the attention and attitude elements of mindfulness, informal approaches did not.
Conclusions
Future mindful eating programs should aim to develop and evaluate informal approaches that integrate both the attention and attitude components of mindfulness. Greater use of standardized language, unambiguous descriptions of core therapeutic components, and the use of validated measures of mindfulness will furthermore improve empirical investigations.