With the growing popularity of mindfulness interventions, the application of mindfulness skills as a useful adjunct to ongoing treatment of eating disorders is of interest. Treatments for eating disorders, particularly bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder, typically include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT; Hay & Bacultchuk, 2001; Mitchell, Agras, & Wonderlich, 2007), Interpersonal therapy (Apple, 1999; Mitchell et al., 2007), and psychotropic medication (Hay & Baculthcuk, 2001; Walsh, Fairburn, Mickley, Sysko, & Parides, 2004). These interventions have demonstrated success in reducing disordered eating behaviors (Baer, Fischer, & Huss, 2006). Despite this, many participants do not benefit from these treatments (Kristeller, Baer, & Quillian-Wolever, 2006) and more recently the application of mindfulness interventions with people who have eating disorders has demonstrated promising results (Baer et al., 2006; Kristeller et al., 2006).

Mindfulness involves consciously bringing awareness to the present moment by focusing non-judgmentally on cognitions, emotions and physical sensations (Kabat-Zinn, 1994). Mindfulness is well suited to the eating disorder population because many sufferers experience difficulties with regulating emotional, cognitive, and physical experiences (Corstorphine, 2006). The majority of the research investigating the application of mindfulness to eating disorders has explored efficacy of the techniques as a stand-alone treatment, usually in a short-term format. An examination of the effect of a “Mindful Eating” group program that uses mindfulness principles as an adjunct to treatment for eating disorders would increase insight into the benefits of mindfulness in reducing eating disorder behaviors.