The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate if the mindful eating and movement program can improve food literacy, physical literacy, and social-emotional competencies in university students aged 18-25 years. The main questions it aims to answer are:
1. Will the mindful eating and movement program lead to significant improvements in food literacy? 2. Will the mindful eating and movement program enhance physical literacy? 3. Will the mindful eating and movement program improve social-emotional competencies?
Researchers will compare an intervention group receiving the combined mindful practices with a control group participating in standard physical education to see if the intervention group shows greater improvements in these areas.
Participants will:
Engage in mindful eating exercises during the break of physical education classes for 10 minutes.
Participate in mindful movement exercises before each physical education class end for 10 minutes, in pairs or in groups.
Complete baseline, immediately post-intervention (8 weeks), and one month post-intervention (4 weeks after) assessments to measure changes in food literacy, physical literacy, and social-emotional competencies.
University undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 years old who are not pregnant;
Chinese-speaking adults;
Willing to sign the consent form;
Willing to attend mindful practice regularly;
Not university undergraduate students;
Below 18 years old or above 25;
Non-Chinese speaking adults;
Unable or refuse to sign the consent form;
Parallel
Mindfulness-Based Eating and Movement Program
BehavioralThis intervention integrates mindful eating practices and mindful movement into physical education classes for a duration of 8 weeks. Each session begins with a 10-minute mindful eating practice designed to enhance participants; awareness of hunger and fullness cues, the sensory experience of eating, and their emotional responses to food. The program is to address food literacy, physical literacy, and social-emotional learning. It applied the principles of various established mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapies and the book "The Joy of Half a Cookie: Using Mindfulness to Lose Weight and End the Struggle with Food" . It is grounded in the components of Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training. The movement practices include basic poses in pairs and groups, and breath awareness techniques to facilitate a mindful connection with physical sensations and mental states.
Food Literacy Evaluation Questionnaire (FLEQ-Ch)
Improvement in food literacy knowledge will be assessed using the Food Literacy Evaluation Questionnaire (FLEQ-Ch). This 15-item questionnaire is structured into three main dimensions: Planning and Management, Selection, and Preparation. It evaluates participants' knowledge related to making informed food choices. Participants respond to each item using a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (Never) to 3 (Always). The total score ranges from 0 to 45, with higher scores indicating higher levels of food literacy.
Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ)
Improvement in mindful eating behaviors will be assessed using the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ), designed by Framson et al. (2009). This 28-item questionnaire evaluates eating behavior across five subscales: Awareness, Distraction, Disinhibition, Emotional Response, and External Cues. Participants rate a 4-point Likert scale from 1 (never/rarely) to 4 (usually/always). The total MEQ score is calculated as the average of all subscale scores, ranging from 28 to 112. The higher the score, the higher degree of mindful eating behavior.
24-Hour Dietary Intake Records
Improvement in food literacy will be assessed through 24-hour dietary intake records. This metric evaluates participants' ability to maintain balanced eating habits. The 24-hour dietary intake will be measured each time on the day of the mindfulness session and on the days when participants complete the questionnaires.
Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument (PPLI)
Enhancement in physical literacy will be assessed using the Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument (PPLI). This instrument consists of 9 items across three subscales: Knowledge and Understanding, Self-Expression and Communication with Others, and Sense of Self and Self-Confidence. The Knowledge and Understanding subscale evaluates participants' attitudes and awareness of the health benefits of sports. The Self-Expression and Communication with Others subscale evaluates participants' social skills and confidence in natural environments. The Sense of Self and Self-Confidence subscale evaluates participants' physical fitness and self-management skills. The instrument consists of 9 items that are rated on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The total score for the PPLI ranges from 9 to 45, with higher scores indicating higher levels of perceived physical literacy.
Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale Short Form (DERS-SF)
Improvement in emotional regulation will be assessed using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale Short Form (DERS-SF). This metric evaluates participants' abilities to regulate their emotions effectively. Participants rate each item on a 5-point Likert scale, indicating how often the items apply to them, from 1 (almost never) to 5 (almost always). Each subscale score is computed as the sum of its corresponding items, with the total DERS-SF score calculated by summing all 18 items. This results in a range from 18 to 90, with higher scores indicating greater difficulties in emotion regulation.
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10)
Reduction in stress levels will be assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). This metric evaluates the degree to which participants perceive their lives as unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded. Each question scores from 0 (never) to 4 (very often). Questions 1 to 3 are assessed using a direct scoring method, whereas questions 4 to 8 are evaluated using a reverse scoring method. The total PSS-10 score is calculated by adding up the scores of each item, with individual scores ranging from 0 to 40. Greater scores correspond to greater levels of perceived stress.
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