Effects of Mindful Eating on Female Nutrition Students

NCT07573410 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: 96451726.0.0000.5152U1111-1340-1295
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 88
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief 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

Conditions

Mental Health; Body Image; Feeding Behavior; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Stress and Anxiety

Keywords

mindful eating; feeding behavior; Students; mental health

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Disordered Eating Attitudes and Behaviors (EAT-26)

  Assessed using the validated Brazilian Portuguese version of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26). This tool evaluates attitudes and behaviors associated with disordered eating, which is the primary focus of the intervention.

  Baseline (pre-intervention), Week 12 (immediately post-intervention), and 3 months post-intervention (follow-up).

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Change in Intuitive Eating Behaviors (IES-2)

  Baseline (pre-intervention), Week 12 (immediately post-intervention), and 3 months post-intervention (follow-up)

• Change in Mindfulness Levels (FFMQ)

  Baseline (pre-intervention), Week 12 (immediately post-intervention), and 3 months post-intervention (follow-up)

• Change in Mental Health Symptoms (DASS-21)

  Baseline (pre-intervention), Week 12 (immediately post-intervention), and 3 months post-intervention (follow-up)

• Change in Body Appreciation (BAS-2)

  Baseline (pre-intervention), Week 12 (immediately post-intervention), and 3 months post-intervention (follow-up)

Study Arms (2)

Experimental: Eat for Life Program

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants assigned to this arm will undergo the "Eat for Life" mindful eating program. This face-to-face intervention lasts for 12 weeks, with weekly sessions of approximately two hours conducted by a certified researcher. The protocol includes formal mindfulness practices, group discussions, and reflections on personal values, body acceptance, and body appreciation.

Behavioral: "Eat for Life" Mindful Eating Program

Active Comparator: Nutritional Guidance

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants assigned to this arm will receive standard nutritional guidance. Informational leaflets based on the Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population will be sent weekly via WhatsApp over a concurrent 12-week period.

Behavioral: Standard Nutritional Guidance

Interventions

"Eat for Life" Mindful Eating Program BEHAVIORAL

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.

Experimental: Eat for Life Program

Standard Nutritional Guidance BEHAVIORAL

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.

Active Comparator: Nutritional Guidance

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Gender Eligibility Details: Eligibility is strictly limited to individuals who self-identify as female. This gender-based restriction is applied because women represent a key demographic with a significantly higher prevalence of and vulnerability to disordered eating behaviors, body dissatisfaction, and psychological distress compared to men.
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Female gender
• Active enrollment in the Nutrition undergraduate program at the time of data collection
• Agreement to participate in the study

You may not qualify if:

• Diagnosis of severe cognitive or mental disorders; Regular practice (at least once a week in the last six months) of meditation, yoga, or mindfulness
• Regular practice (at least once a week in the last six months) of meditation, yoga, or mindfulness

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Federal University of Uberlandia: lead

Study Sites (1)

Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU) - Campus Umuarama

Uberlândia, Minas Gerais (MG), 38405-318, Brazil

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Silva TA, Flores AT, Buttros TS, Motarelli JHF, Pena GDG, Penaforte FRO, Japur CC. Mindfulness-Based Eating Solution (MBES) for Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating Attitudes in Nutrition Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomised Clinical Trial. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2025 Apr;38(2):e70040. doi: 10.1111/jhn.70040.

  PMID: 40091515 RESULT

• Bush HE, Rossy L, Mintz LB, Schopp L. Eat for life: a work site feasibility study of a novel mindfulness-based intuitive eating intervention. Am J Health Promot. 2014 Jul-Aug;28(6):380-8. doi: 10.4278/ajhp.120404-QUAN-186. Epub 2013 Aug 13.

  PMID: 23941103 RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being; Feeding Behavior; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Anxiety Disorders

Interventions

Eating

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Behavior; Behavior, Animal; Signs and Symptoms, Digestive; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Mental Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Diet, Food, and Nutrition; Physiological Phenomena; Digestive System Physiological Phenomena; Digestive System and Oral Physiological Phenomena

Central Study Contacts

Nilander P Nunes Filho, B.Sc

CONTACT

+55(34)996897015; nilanderfilho@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Due to the nature of the behavioral intervention (a face-to-face mindful eating program versus an active control group receiving informational leaflets), it is not feasible to blind the participants or the investigators conducting the sessions. Therefore, masking will be applied exclusively to the data analysis stage. All statistical analyses will be performed by an independent third-party researcher who will be completely blinded to the participants' group allocation (Intervention Group and Active Control Group) in order to minimize analytical bias.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Master's Student

Model Details: Participants will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to one of two parallel arms: the experimental group or the active control group. Both arms will run concurrently for 12 weeks. Participants in both groups will be evaluated at three identical time points: baseline, immediately post-intervention (12 weeks), and at a 3-month follow-up.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 1, 2026
• First Posted: May 7, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027
• Last Updated: May 7, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

BR (1)