Explaining the structural relationship between mindfulness and binge eating in obese people: The mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies in the relationship between mindfulness and binge eating in obese individuals. METHODS: This research was performed as correlation research and statistical population included obese and overweight men and women in spring, summer, and autumn 2018 in Karaj City, Iran, 414 of whom were selected by purposive sampling method and participated in the study. Data were collected by calculating participants' body mass index (BMI), Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ), Binge Eating Scale (BES), and structural equation modeling (SEM) and then analyzed using Amos software. RESULTS: The model has an acceptable fit with the collected data [χ2/degree of freedom (df) = 3.80, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.929, goodness of fit index (GFI) = 0.910, adjusted GFI (AGFI) = 0.871, and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.082]. Examination of the path coefficients showed that emotion regulation strategies mediated the relationship between mindfulness and binge eating. CONCLUSION: Mindfulness affects binge eating in obese people through the mediating role of emotional regulation strategies.