Psychology Commons^™

The Effectiveness Of Mindful Eating In A Student Population, Myles Maillet

2014 Undergraduate Awards

Eating while distracted (e.g., while watching television or in a conversation) or under cognitive stress (e.g., studying, reading, writing, etc.) has shown to increase food consumption, which can result in overeating. Frequent overeating is a major factor in the development of obesity, a serious health concern. The current study examined the potential benefits of mindful eating in a university setting where student eating habits are constantly influenced by environmental distractions and cognitive stress. Eighty undergraduate students were randomly assigned to either a mindful eating condition or control condition, followed by either a high or low cognitive stress condition. Cognitive stress …