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The Group Guide
Connecting people to community
Client and Family Education
What to know about

Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT) Groups

MB-EAT is a structured group developed by Jean Kristeller and colleagues for binge eating disorder (BED) and related eating patterns. It adapts the core mindfulness practices of MBSR and applies them directly to eating, training moment-to-moment awareness of hunger, fullness, taste, emotional triggers, and the automatic patterns that drive binge eating. BED is the most common eating disorder in the US, marked by recurrent loss-of-control eating without the purging of bulimia, and highly comorbid with depression and anxiety. MB-EAT targets the emotional dysregulation, disconnection from internal cues, and habitual behaviors that maintain it. It is not a weight-loss program.

Who it's for, and who it's not

A fit for those open to a mindfulness approach and willing to meditate.
Not for active anorexia, where restriction needs different management.
Not a weight-loss program; the goal is normalizing eating, not reduction.

What it's for

Adults with BED or significant binge eating below the full threshold.
For emotional eating, loss-of-control eating, and lost hunger/fullness cues.
Appropriate across body sizes; also used in diabetes management contexts.
What to expect
19 to 12 weekly sessions of 90 minutes to two hours, groups of 8 to 12.
2In-session mindful eating exercises, often starting with a single raisin.
3Daily home practice of both formal meditation and mindful eating.

Mindfulness-based eating interventions reliably reduce binge eating.

A meta-analysis of 39 studies (2,000+ people) found these interventions significantly reduced binge frequency, with MB-EAT among the most effective, maintained at follow-up.1
A review of 35 studies found large reductions in binge eating severity, with MB-EAT producing particularly consistent results.2
Making the most of it
The raisin is the lab. Eating one food with full attention rebuilds awareness.
Said out loud, less alone. Hearing others name hunger and fullness helps you name yours.
Physical vs. emotional hunger. Learning the difference is much of the work.
Questions to ask before you join
1Is the facilitator trained in MB-EAT and eating disorders?
2Is this standalone, or alongside other eating disorder treatment?
3Can I commit to the daily home practice between sessions?

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In crisis? Call or text 988 (US Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 24/7).

The Group Guide is a directory, not a clinic. This handout is general education, not medical or mental health advice. Listings are written by group leaders and are not endorsements. Confirm details, cost, and fit with any group you contact. Sources on page 2.

The Group Guide
Connecting people to community
Client and Family Education

Sources

Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT) Groups · references keyed to the numbers on page 1.

1Liu, J., Tynan, M., Mouangue, A., Martin, C., Manasse, S., & Godfrey, K. Mindfulness-based interventions for binge eating: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Behavioral Medicine (2025), 48(1), 57–89.

2Grohmann, D., & Laws, K. R. Two decades of mindfulness-based interventions for binge eating: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research (2021), 149, Article 110592.

In crisis? Call or text 988 (US Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 24/7).

The Group Guide is a directory, not a clinic. This handout is general education, not medical or mental health advice. Listings are written by group leaders and are not endorsements. Confirm details, cost, and fit with any group you contact.