Mindfulness-based intervention in adolescents at risk for excess weight gain: 1.5-year follow-up of pilot randomized controlled trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) could prevent excess weight gain in adolescents by reducing stress-eating through changes in executive functioning and food-reward sensitivity.
Results Summary
MBI prevented worsening stress-eating compared to the health education (HE) group, which showed greater increases in stress-eating over 1.5 years. No other significant differences between conditions were observed.
Population
Adolescents (12-17 years) at risk for excess weight gain (BMI ≥70th percentile or two biological parents with obesity).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
1.5 years
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) | decrease | stress-eating | adolescents at-risk for excess weight gain | - | may prevent worsening | #1 |
Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) | decrease | excess weight gain | adolescents | - | may offer a novel means of preventing | #2 |
Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) | decrease | stress-eating | adolescents | - | decreasing | #3 |
Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) | neutral | executive functioning (EF) | adolescents | - | altering | #4 |
Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) | neutral | food-reward sensitivity | adolescents | - | altering | #5 |
Health education (HE) | increase | stress-eating | 12-17y girls and boys at-risk for excess weight gain | M = 194, SE = 63 | had greater increases in | #6 |
Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) | decrease | stress-eating | 12-17y girls and boys at-risk for excess weight gain | M = -21, SE = 59 | had | #7 |
- | no change | - | 12-17y girls and boys at-risk for excess weight gain | - | There were no other between-condition differences | #8 |
Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) | decrease | stress-eating | adolescents at-risk for excess weight gain | - | may prevent worsening | #9 |
Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) | neutral | stress-eating | adolescents at-risk for excess weight gain | - | potential for | #10 |
Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) | neutral | weight stabilization | adolescents at-risk for excess weight gain | - | potential for | #11 |
BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) may offer a novel means of preventing excess weight gain in adolescents, theoretically by decreasing stress-eating through altering executive functioning (EF) and food-reward sensitivity. METHODS: N = 54 12-17y girls and boys at-risk for excess weight gain (i.e., BMI ≥70th percentile or two biological parents with reported obesity [BMI ≥30 kg/m RESULTS: Compared to MBI (M = -21, SE = 59), HE had greater increases in stress-eating from baseline to 1.5-years (M = 194, SE = 63, Cohen's d = 0.59, p = .01). There were no other between-condition differences. DISCUSSION: MBI may prevent worsening stress-eating for adolescents at-risk for excess weight gain. The potential for MBI as an intervention for stress-eating and ultimately, weight stabilization warrants testing in an adequately-powered trial.