Mindfulness, mindful eating, and sustainable diets

This chapter aims to provide an overview of mindfulness and mindful eating as innovative strategies for promoting sustainable food choices. It begins by defining mindfulness and presenting its fundamental principles. The main mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are then outlined, highlighting the benefits that result from the practice of mindfulness. The mechanisms by which mindfulness operates are also shown with a particular focus on the examination of the potential underlying factors through which mindfulness may promote sustainable behaviors. A discussion of the state of the art on the relationship between mindfulness and sustainable dietary patterns is then offered. The chapter further introduces the concept of mindful eating, detailing its common practices and the primary intervention used to promote it, while emphasizing the positive outcomes associated with these practices. It concludes by discussing the potential role of mindful eating in fostering more sustainable food choices.