Mindfulness Practice for Glycemic Control: Could it be a New Strategy for an Old Problem? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Study Goal
To evaluate the effect of mindfulness-based interventions on glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
Results Summary
The study found no significant differences in blood glucose or glycated hemoglobin levels between mindfulness intervention and control groups, with very low quality of evidence. Large-scale trials are needed to further assess mindfulness's contribution to glycemic control.
Population
Individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
established mindfulness-based protocols | no change | blood glucose change | individuals with T2DM | mean difference between groups (MD) -0.73mg/dl; 95% CI, -10.49; 9.02; I2 =0% | no differences | #1 |
established mindfulness-based protocols | no change | glycated hemoglobin | individuals with T2DM | MD 0.05%; 95%CI -0.22 to 0.32; I2 =29% | no differences | #2 |
established protocols involving mindfulness | no change | blood glucose | individuals with T2DM | - | have no effect | #3 |
established protocols involving mindfulness | no change | glycated hemoglobin | individuals with T2DM | - | have no effect | #4 |
BACKGROUND: The management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) requires a complex and organized care that includes patient's lifestyle change. Additionally, emotional well-being is an important part of self-management, and it may impair the individual's adherence. Therefore, equipping the patients with the necessary coping and self-care techniques may be an important step in managing diabetes. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of interventions using established mindfulness-based protocols on glycemic control of individuals with T2DM. METHODS: Data sources: Two electronic databases (PubMed and EMBASE) were searched from inception to December 2019. We limited our search to published studies in English, Spanish and Portuguese languages. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized clinical trials that assessed the effects of mindfulness in individuals with T2DM were selected. DATA EXTRACTION: Two authors independently assessed the risk of bias and extracted data from the included trials. Data were pooled using inverse-variance random-effects meta-analyses. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. RESULTS: Four randomized trials were included. There were no differences in blood glucose change (mean difference between groups (MD) -0.73mg/dl; 95% CI, -10.49; 9.02; I2 =0%; very low quality of evidence) or glycated hemoglobin (MD 0.05%; 95%CI -0.22 to 0.32; I2 =29%; very low quality of evidence). CONCLUSION: Although the quality of current evidence is very low, our findings suggest that established protocols involving mindfulness have no effect on blood glucose or glycated hemoglobin in individuals with T2DM. Indeed, large-scale trials are needed to evaluate the contribution of mindfulness to glycemic control in clinical practice. PROSPERO Registration ID: RD42020161940.