Disordered eating predicts mindful eating regardless of sex and disability status: a cross-sectional study

Disordered eating and mindful eating are under-studied among athletes with disabilities; clarifying their interplay could inform potential prevention strategies. This study examined the relationship between disordered eating and mindful eating in athletes across different sexes and ability statuses, addressing the limited research in disabled populations.

In this cross-sectional study, 140 Turkish athletes (70 with physical disabilities; 70 without) completed the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire and the 30-item Mindful Eating Questionnaire. Group differences, Pearson correlations and multiple linear regression were calculated.

Global disordered-eating and mindful-eating scores did not differ by disability status or sex. Athletes with disabilities reported lower Emotional Eating (17.6 ± 4.7 vs. 19.4 ± 4.5; p = 0.023) and, among men, higher Mindfulness sub scores (16.0 ± 2.6 vs. 14.6 ± 2.7; p = 0.006). Mindful eating correlated inversely with disordered eating in both groups (with disabilities: r = -0.49, p < 0.001; without: r = -0.32, p = 0.014) and was strongest in women with disabilities (r = -0.76, p < 0.001). Disordered eating emerged as a significant predictor of lower mindful eating (β = -4.66, p < 0.001), explaining 1% of its variance after controlling for age, sex, body-mass index and disability status.

Mindful eating is inversely associated with disordered eating across athletes, with the relationship particularly pronounced in women with disabilities. Interventions that cultivate mindful eating could be relevant for managing disordered eating in para-sport.