Direct Yet Opposite Effects of Stress-related and Mindful Eating on Diet Quality

Abstract

Objective: Examine the relationships among dietary quality, mindful eating, and constructs of the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, women (n = 67) aged 25-50 years, with a body mass index of 25-40 kg/m² completed 3 days of 24-hour recalls and a survey that included the Perceived Stress Scale, Eating and Appraisal Due to Emotions and Stress Questionnaire, and the Mindful Eating Questionnaire. Structural equation modeling assessed relationships among all constructs with the dependent variable, the Healthy Eating Index-2015.

Results: Mindful Eating Questionnaire (β = 0.60, P = 0.001) and Emotion and Stress-related Eating scores from Eating and Appraisal Due to Emotions and Stress Questionnaire (β = -0.69, P < 0.001) (r² = 0.50) were directly associated with Healthy Eating Index-2015, but no indirect effects were identified.

Conclusions and implications: Overall dietary quality is associated with greater mindful eating but more emotion and stress-related eating scores among women who were overweight or obese. Future studies could assess model constructs using other diet quality scores and including additional coping mechanisms such as substance use, physical activity, and meditation.

Keywords: Healthy Eating Index–2015; mindful eating; perceived stress; stress-related eating.