Effects of Mindful Eating on Female Nutrition Students

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

"Eat for Life" Mindful Eating Program: A 12-week face-to-face mindful eating behavioral intervention. Participants will attend weekly sessions of approximately two hours led by a certified researcher. The program integrates formal mindfulness practices, group discussions, and reflections on personal values, self-compassion, body acceptance, and body appreciation to promote a conscious relationship with food, emotions, and the body.

Standard Nutritional Guidance: An active control intervention consisting of standard nutritional education. Participants will receive informative leaflets weekly via WhatsApp over a 12-week period. The content is based on the "Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population" (Guia Alimentar para a População Brasileira), providing standard health and nutrition information without any mindfulness or mindful eating components.

Study summary

The goal of this pilot randomized clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy of a mindful eating intervention ("Eat for Life") on eating behavior, body image, and mental health in female nutrition students. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does a mindful eating intervention reduce disordered eating behaviors in female nutrition students? Does the intervention improve body appreciation, mindfulness levels, and mental health?

Researchers will compare an active control group receiving nutritional guidance to an intervention group participating in the "Eat for Life" mindful eating program to see if the mindful eating intervention reduces disordered eating behaviors and improves overall psychological well-being and body appreciation.

Participants will: Complete online questionnaires evaluating eating behavior, mindfulness, mental health, and body image at three distinct time points: before the intervention (baseline), post-intervention, and at a 3-month follow-up.

If assigned to the intervention group, attend 12 weekly face-to-face mindful eating sessions lasting approximately two hours each. If assigned to the active control group, receive weekly informative leaflets via WhatsApp with nutritional guidance based on the Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population for 12 weeks

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Change in Disordered Eating Attitudes and Behaviors (EAT-26) — Baseline (pre-intervention), Week 12 (immediately post-intervention), and 3 months post-intervention (follow-up).
  Assessed using the validated Brazilian Portuguese version of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26). Each item is answered on a 6-point Likert scale, with total scores ranging from 0 to 78. Higher scores indicate greater severity of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. A score of 21 or above indicates a positive screening for disordered eating (higher score = worse outcome).

Trial sites (1)

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