Is mindful eating sustainable and healthy? A focus on nutritional intake, food consumption, and plant-based dietary patterns among lean and normal-weight female university students in Japan

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between mindful eating and nutritional intake, food consumption, and healthful and unhealthful plant-based dietary patterns in young Japanese women. Methods: The sample comprised 215 female undergraduates who responded to a two-questionnaire anonymous survey conducted in Tokyo, Japan in 2018 and 2019 from November to December. We measured mindful eating status using the Expanded Mindful Eating Scale (EMES) and used Japanese plant-based dietary indices to determine plant-based dietary patterns. Partial correlation analyses were conducted to determine the correlation of mindful eating with energy and nutrient intake, food consumption, and plant-based dietary patterns, after adjusting for demographics and body mass index. Results: Participants with higher sub-scores in “health of the planet” and “awareness and appreciation for food” ate higher quantities of several micronutrients and plant-based foods and were more likely to have a healthful plant-based dietary pattern. They were also less likely to have an unhealthful plant-based dietary pattern. In contrast, participants with higher scores in “non-judgmental awareness” ate less protein, whole grains, and vegetables, and were likely to have an unhealthful plant-based dietary pattern. Conclusion: This study is the first to show that young Japanese women with normal or lean body weight were more likely to consume healthful plant-based foods when they ate mindfully. Level V: Opinions of respected authorities, based on descriptive studies, narrative reviews, clinical experience, or reports of expert committees.