Mindful eating and food intake: Effects and mechanisms of action.

Summary & key facts

The authors ran four lab studies on "sensory eating," which means paying close attention to a food's look, smell, texture, and taste while you eat. In each study people ate a small high-calorie snack either with sensory eating or as usual, and 5–15 minutes later they were offered larger snack portions to eat freely. Sensory eating led to smaller intake of the second snack. The effect did not come from stronger sensory-specific satiety or from making people think about health. When the researchers made everyone eat the first snack at the same (slower) speed, the effect went away, so the authors conclude sensory eating likely worked by slowing eating rate. The findings come from short-term lab

Key facts:

• The paper reports four laboratory studies on sensory eating.
• In each study participants ate a small high-calorie snack, then 5–15 minutes later they were given larger snack portions they could eat freely.
• Across the studies, sensory eating reduced how much people ate of the second snack.
• The reduced intake could not be explained by increased sensory-specific satiety or by priming of health-related goals.
• When the researchers controlled the eating rate of the first snack (making eating speed equal), the effect of sensory eating disappeared, suggesting the effect works by slowing eating rate.
• Exploratory analyses found the intake reduction was stronger among nondieters who reported higher hunger.
• These results are from short-term laboratory tests and do not demonstrate long-term effects on body weight or real-world eating behavior.

Abstract

A key component of mindful eating is paying attention to the sensory properties of one's food as one eats ("sensory eating"). Some studies have found this reduces subsequent food intake while others have failed to replicate these effects. We report four laboratory studies that (a) examine effects of sensory eating on subsequent intake and (b) explore potential mechanisms of action. In each study, participants ate a small high-calorie snack with or without sensory eating and, 5-15 min later, were given larger snack portions from which they could eat freely. Sensory eating reduced intake of the second snack and could not be explained by increased sensory-specific satiety or priming of health-related goals. However, this effect disappeared when we controlled eating rate for the first snack. Given evidence that slower eating increases satiation and reduces intake, we conclude that sensory eating reduces intake by slowing eating rate. Exploratory analyses also revealed that (among nondieters) effects of sensory eating were pronounced when participants reported higher hunger. Thus, for weight management, sensory eating may be most beneficial for those who are naturally fast eaters and/or in situations where people are inclined to eat more quickly, for example, when hungry or in a hurry. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Topics

Eating Disorders and Behaviors Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions

Categories

Clinical Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Action (physics) Chemistry Food intake Food science Internal medicine Medicine Physics Psychology Quantum mechanics