Abstract
The association between depressive symptoms and emotional eating has been well established. The aim of the current study was to examine whether the association between depressive symptoms and emotional eating was mediated by mindfulness, a construct that has successfully been implemented in the treatment of eating disorders and depression. Mindfulness, particularly, the component “acting with awareness” was theorized to decrease impulsive eating. Data from 417 Dutch adult participants were analyzed. Mediation analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling in Mplus. Of the five mindfulness subcomponents, only acting with awareness mediated the association between depressive symptoms and emotional eating. Results showed complete mediation in that the effect of depression on emotional eating was entirely carried indirectly through the mediator acting with awareness. None of the other mindfulness components mediated the depressive symptoms-emotional eating link. This indicates the potential importance of the “acting with awareness” construct, explaining why depressive symptoms would be associated with emotional eating. Future prospective research should examine whether, why and for whom acting with awareness may mediate the prospective link from depressive symptoms to emotional eating.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 670-678 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Mindfulness |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 15 Aug 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2019 |
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Keywords
- Acting with awareness
- Depressive symptoms
- Emotional eating
- Mediation
- Mindfulness
Cite this
}
Depressive Symptoms and Emotional Eating : Mediated by Mindfulness? / Höppener, Marthe M.; Larsen, Junilla K.; van Strien, Tatjana; Ouwens, Machteld A.; Winkens, Laura H.H.; Eisinga, Rob.
In: Mindfulness, Vol. 10, No. 4, 04.2019, p. 670-678.Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Depressive Symptoms and Emotional Eating
T2 - Mediated by Mindfulness?
AU - Höppener, Marthe M.
AU - Larsen, Junilla K.
AU - van Strien, Tatjana
AU - Ouwens, Machteld A.
AU - Winkens, Laura H.H.
AU - Eisinga, Rob
PY - 2019/4
Y1 - 2019/4
N2 - The association between depressive symptoms and emotional eating has been well established. The aim of the current study was to examine whether the association between depressive symptoms and emotional eating was mediated by mindfulness, a construct that has successfully been implemented in the treatment of eating disorders and depression. Mindfulness, particularly, the component “acting with awareness” was theorized to decrease impulsive eating. Data from 417 Dutch adult participants were analyzed. Mediation analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling in Mplus. Of the five mindfulness subcomponents, only acting with awareness mediated the association between depressive symptoms and emotional eating. Results showed complete mediation in that the effect of depression on emotional eating was entirely carried indirectly through the mediator acting with awareness. None of the other mindfulness components mediated the depressive symptoms-emotional eating link. This indicates the potential importance of the “acting with awareness” construct, explaining why depressive symptoms would be associated with emotional eating. Future prospective research should examine whether, why and for whom acting with awareness may mediate the prospective link from depressive symptoms to emotional eating.
AB - The association between depressive symptoms and emotional eating has been well established. The aim of the current study was to examine whether the association between depressive symptoms and emotional eating was mediated by mindfulness, a construct that has successfully been implemented in the treatment of eating disorders and depression. Mindfulness, particularly, the component “acting with awareness” was theorized to decrease impulsive eating. Data from 417 Dutch adult participants were analyzed. Mediation analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling in Mplus. Of the five mindfulness subcomponents, only acting with awareness mediated the association between depressive symptoms and emotional eating. Results showed complete mediation in that the effect of depression on emotional eating was entirely carried indirectly through the mediator acting with awareness. None of the other mindfulness components mediated the depressive symptoms-emotional eating link. This indicates the potential importance of the “acting with awareness” construct, explaining why depressive symptoms would be associated with emotional eating. Future prospective research should examine whether, why and for whom acting with awareness may mediate the prospective link from depressive symptoms to emotional eating.
KW - Acting with awareness
KW - Depressive symptoms
KW - Emotional eating
KW - Mediation
KW - Mindfulness
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85063030798&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85063030798&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12671-018-1002-4
DO - 10.1007/s12671-018-1002-4
M3 - Article
VL - 10
SP - 670
EP - 678
JO - Mindfulness
JF - Mindfulness
SN - 1868-8527
IS - 4
ER -