Virtual Dissemination of Mindful Eating Strategies: Improved Food Attitudes and Behaviors Among Cancer Survivors

Abstract

Cancer treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy place immense stress on the body, leading to metabolic, physical, and psychological changes that can impact dietary habits long after treatment ends. Throughout the treatment journey these changes, both psychological and emotional, can contribute to periods of emotional eating. Stress, anxiety, and concerns related to body composition shifts during treatment often play a key role in these challenges and may contribute to declined quality of life and mental health status in survivors. Few accessible nutrition education programs currently exist to support cancer survivors in transitioning from a ridged interpretation of dietary guidelines to a more flexible approach that emphasizes food freedom while still prioritizing nutrient-dense choices. The purpose of the Nourish & Thrive: A Mindful Eating Journey for Cancer Survivors email series is to provide cancer survivors who have already completed a nutritional education program titled Nutrition After Cancer: What to Eat and What to Avoid, the tools necessary to transition to a more flexible approach to fueling their bodies. A marketing email was sent to all participants who had subscribed to the previous program, with information relating to the mindful eating program. Once the link was clicked, participants were taken to a web page containing the Mindful Eating Kickstart pre-survey. Following the completion of this survey, participants received a total of five emails. Each email covered one of five mindful eating concepts: understanding hunger and fullness, fueling with nutrient-dense foods, practicing gentle nutrition, slowing down while eating, and developing a non-judgmental relationship with food. Following the final email, participants completed a self-growth survey. An increased awareness of mindful eating and a more positive relationship with food was observed based on participant responses to open-ended questions. In addition to these findings, the quantitative data outlined below further demonstrate that the program was effective in achieving its intended objectives. Mean changes in each subdomain were positive, indicating that a majority of participants responded to corresponding questions with an answer choice that was further aligned with mindful eating tendencies. Additionally, a statistically significant change of P=0.014 was calculated for Total Mindful Eating Scores, as well as for Emotional and Stress Eating.