Snack Mindfully, Enjoy the Moment!
Have you heard of mindful snacking?
This approach encourages paying attention to eating and being present in the moment.
Mindful eating research has been more and more active in the past 20 years.
Studies have shown, for instance, that it can increase the enjoyment derived from food.
Mindful eating is an easy and versatile approach.
It can be applied any time of the day, including during snacking occasions.
Simple, practical tips can help snacking mindfully.
It's about listening to hunger and satiety cues, paying attention to taste, and fully enjoying food.
From mindfulness to mindful snacking
1. Mindfulness
In 1990, Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, a Professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, defined mindfulness as 'paying attention to the present moment on purpose while being non-judgmental on thoughts and feelings.' (1) Today, there is convincing evidence that mindfulness interventions can reduce anxiety, stress, or depression and improve attention and affective outcomes (2).
2. Mindful eating
In the late 1990's, a pioneering clinical trial found that binge eating disorders decreased following a mindfulness intervention applied to the context of eating (3). The positive impact of mindfulness-based interventions on eating disorders has since been confirmed in more recent studies (4, 5, 6, 7). Mindful eating - the application of mindfulness principles to eating - has been investigated in both at-risk populations such as overweight or obese subjects and healthy populations to assess its effect on health and well-being. Research has shown, for instance, that eating mindfully can result in deriving more pleasure from food and being satisfied with smaller amounts of food (8, 9, 10, 11).
3. Mindful Snacking
Today, snacking has become a widespread eating habit around the world, as most adults have one to two snacks every day (12). Snacking in a fast-paced society can be easily affected by environmental and emotional cues. Mindful eating principles might help people focus not only on what snacks to choose but also on why and how they snack, so they can be more in tune with eating as a conscious behavior. At Mondelēz International, we aim to inspire people to snack mindfully.
Resources for health professionals
Snacking is part of everyday life. Currently, while there are recommendations about what foods and beverages should be consumed, little guidance is given on why and how to eat and drink. One approach to help your clients get the most out of the snacking experience is called mindful snacking. Snacking mindfully can be taught in easy and practical steps.
Listed below are several resources for learning more about mindful snacking, including videos of discussions with experts and recent peer-reviewed publications supporting the application of this approach. You can also find resources to help guide and inspire your clients on how to snack mindfully, using simple tips and tools.
A literature review on the effects of mindful eating and potential mechanisms of action
Peer-reviewed publication
Read this narrative review that examines the concept of mindful eating and its measurement. It goes into the evidence for the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on disordered eating, energy intake, and food choice. Finally, it considers potential mechanisms of action and six recommendations for future research.
Your Guide to Mindful Snacking: Practical video tips by Food Insight
Video
Watch a mainstream animated video by the International Food Information Council sharing four easy tips to slow down, make intentional food choices and tune up your mindfulness when snacking.
Summary of the panel discussion about Mindful Eating approach applied to snacking
Peer-reviewed publication
Read the conference report of the IUNS symposium chaired and addressed by Dr. Jean Kristeller, PhD, psychologist and mindful eating expert, with two food behavior and marketing experts discussing mindful eating theoretical principles to applications.
Inspiring people to snack mindfully
At Mondelēz International, our goal is to be a global leader in well-being snacks. We're guided by our purpose of empowering people to enjoy life and snack in balance and take seriously the nutrition responsibility that comes with being the world's largest snack company.
To inspire our consumers to snack mindfully, we have partnered with Dr. Susan Albers, Psy.D., clinical psychologist and mindful eating expert to provide tips and resources on how to snack mindfully. Mindful snacking is an approach that encourages eating with attention and being present in the moment. It's about shifting snacking habits, from not just what but also why and how to eat.
This website is sponsored by Mondelēz International and is reserved to health professionals.
For more information about our company and our approach to well-being, please visit the Snacking Made Right section of our company website.
