Mindfulness moderates the relationship between emotional eating and body mass index in a sample of people with cystic fibrosis

PURPOSE: Self-regulation in eating is significant for enhancing life expectancy of people with cystic fibrosis (CF), but research with this population is scarce. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, adults with CF completed a number of psychometric scales exploring typical eating behaviours that may increase calorific intake including motivations to eat palatable foods and scales that may be associated with decreased calorific intake: mindfulness, mindful eating and self-compassion. RESULTS: Findings suggested that motivations to eat palatable foods and eating behaviours correlate with higher BMI, while mindfulness, mindful eating and self-compassion did not reach significance. Mindfulness and mindful eating moderated the relationship between emotional eating and BMI, while self-compassion did not moderate this relationship. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to develop healthy and effective means of enhancing calorific intake, where this is indicated, adapting mindful eating principles to focus on increasing both self-regulation and pleasure in eating while reducing emotional eating may be one means of doing this. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.