214 The Indian Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics, Vol. 60 (2), April - June 2023 Evaluation of Mindful Eating Levels among Adolescents of Different BMI Category Padma Vijayakumar and Sayeda Amina Hermein Nazeer (Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Mount Carmel College, (Autonomous), Bengaluru, Karnataka - 560 084) e-mail: padma.v@mccblr.edu.in (Received 26 th May, 2022) The Indian Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics ISSN: 0022-3174; eISSN: 2348-621X www.ijndonline.org DOI:10.21048/IJND.2023.60.2.220864 Abstract India faces a steadily increasing prevalence of dual weight burden among adolescents. This study aims to evaluate the eating patterns and mindful eating level of adolescents of different BMI category. A cross sectional study was conducted with 130 adolescents, aged 12 -15 years, recruited through quota sampling from government and private schools of Urban Bengaluru. The nutritional status were assessed as prescribed by WHO anthropometric data through standardised stadiometer and weighing scale protocols. Mindful eating level was assessed through a validated Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ). Most of the adolescent subjects were following non-vegetarian diets, where majority of them (47.7%) were observed to have BMI categorised as underweight. Mindful eating practices showed statistically significant (p< 0.05) scores under moderate level by closely half of the subjects and low level by 1/3rd on the MEQ tool. Dual burden of malnutrition that is underweight and obesity was prevalent in the study population. This can be attributed to the sedentary lifestyle coupled with mindless eating. Empowering mindful eating approach would appear to be a strategy in combating the double burden of malnutrition. Keywords: Adolescent, dual burden, eating pattern, malnutrition, mindful eating, obesity, underweight Introduction Malnutrition in adolescents in the developing countries is one the critical issue faced globally 1 . In the most recent two decades, economically emerging nations have confronted critical changes in adolescent nutrition due to the dietary, demographic and epidemiological advances. These prompted shift in lifestyle, nutritional pattern and monetary 2 . India has the highest occurrence of child under nutrition in the world and more than half of the Indian children remain undernourished and underprivileged. The co-existence of under nutrition and overweight-obesity in a household/