Exploring the interplay between mindful eating and self-compassion: insights from three empirical studies and future directions for research

Abstract

Background Literature on mindful eating explores both mindful eating behaviour and decision-making for mindful eating jointly, which may not necessarily reflect the accurate nature of what mindful eating truly represents. The present research conducted three studies to explore the relationship between BMI, mindful eating behaviour, decision-making for mindful eating, and self-compassion. Method and results Using 150 participants, Study 1 examined the correlations between the Mindful Eating Behaviour Scale (MEBS), the Sussex-Oxford Compassion for Self-Scale (SOCS), and their subscales with BMI. Significant positive associations were found between BMI and focused eating, as well as focused eating and hunger and satiety (MEBS subscales) and various facets of self-compassion, but the findings were conflicting, suggested by several measurement limitations. Study 2 aimed to address limitations in the measurement of mindful eating by investigating its association with self-compassion using an alternative scale, the Mindful Eating Behaviour Scale-Trait (MEBS-T) using 152 participants. The findings suggested only BMI was negatively associated with recognising suffering and tolerating uncomfortable feelings (SOCS subscales), but no other significant relationships were found. Study 3 further explored the interplay between self-compassion and mindful eating with 235 participants, utilising the MEBS-T and the original Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), revealing significant positive relationships between sensory attention and non-judgemental awareness (MEBS-T subscales) with common humanity, and mindfulness (alongside non-judgemental awareness and self-kindness), and significant negative relationships between sensory attention and isolation, and non-judgemental awareness and isolation and over-identification. Conclusion These findings indicate that associations between mindful eating and self-compassion exist, and specific components of mindful eating, particularly sensory attention and non-judgemental awareness, may play a critical role in fostering a compassionate relationship with oneself—which, for example, in a context of emotional eating and obesity-related stigma propose clear future directions for research and practice but as described in the original Self-Compassion Scale. A critical interpretation of the combined impact and underlying mechanisms in promoting positive eating behaviour change is discussed