Manage Abstracts

E. Ha1, G. Berg1, M. Phillips1, S. Novakowski1, M. Monroy-Valle2, J. Lieffers1 1College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, 2School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK

Canada's Food Guide (CFG) refers to mindful eating (ME) as "being aware of how, why, what, when, where, and how much you eat" and suggests that it can improve eating behaviours. To date, there are few Canadian data regarding awareness of ME, and how often ME is practiced.

To explore whether the University of Saskatchewan (USask) community is aware of ME and if they report practicing behaviours relevant to ME.

The online cross-sectional survey included closed-ended questions on demographics and ME (i.e., ME awareness; engagement in habits conducive/not conducive to ME). Current USask students/staff were eligible to complete the survey available on SurveyMonkey. Participants were recruited in Oct-Nov/2022 through the USask announcement board, email and social media. Descriptive statistical analyses were completed in Microsoft Excel.

In total, n=165 respondents were included; most were women (75.8%) and students (72.1%). Overall, 67.3% reported knowing what mindful eating is. Respondents were asked about engagement in specific ME habits on typical weekdays; overall, 61.2% sit down for a meal with family/friends; 36.0% pay attention to the aromas/textures/flavours of foods eaten; 35.8% set aside time to focus on meals; and 29.1% eat slowly/thoughtfully. On typical weekdays, many participants reported behaviours not conducive to ME (i.e., 81.2% reported using technology while eating; 79.4% have meals that took <10mins which was more frequent among participants ≥25y (85.7%) vs. ≤19y (69.4%).

USask community members had good awareness of ME, and did practice behaviours conducive to ME; however, behaviours not conducive to ME were common. Individuals may experience barriers preventing them from eating mindfully which is worth investigating.

The recent addition of ME to CFG increases the need to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices surrounding ME. Future studies could also examine barriers to ME.

USask OVPR FYRE