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How Effective Are Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Reducing Stress and Weight? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

International journal of environmental research and public health
January 1, 1970
Elena Sosa-Cordobés et al. (6 authors)
Meta-AnalysisSystematic ReviewJournal ArticleReviewResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to determine the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions for stress and weight reduction in the short, medium, and long term.

Results Summary

Mindfulness-based interventions had a small effect on stress reduction over a 3-month period but showed no significant evidence for stress reduction beyond 3 months or for weight or body mass index reduction in any period.

Population

Adults

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Varied (short-term effects assessed up to 3 months, medium/long-term beyond 3 months)

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (4)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
mindfulness-based interventions
decrease
stress
adults
effect size (standardized mean difference) = -0.29 (95% CI: -0.49, -0.10)
had a small effect on stress reduction
#1
mindfulness-based interventions
no change
stress
adults
no significant evidence
no significant evidence was found for stress reduction
#2
mindfulness-based interventions
no change
weight
adults
no significant evidence
no significant evidence was found for weight reduction
#3
mindfulness-based interventions
no change
body mass index
adults
no significant evidence
no significant evidence was found for body mass index reduction
#4
Abstract

Stress contributes to the development and maintenance of obesity. Mindfulness-based therapies are being used to reduce stress and promote weight reduction and maintenance. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions for stress and weight reduction in the short, medium, and long term. Searches on PsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, WOS, and Science Direct were conducted until March 2021. Intervention studies with a sample of adults were included; these evaluated a mindfulness-based intervention and used stress and weight or body mass index as outcome variables. These criteria were met by 13 articles. A meta-analysis of 8 of the 13 articles was performed with a random-effects or fixed-effects model, depending on the level of heterogeneity between studies. Mindfulness-based interventions had a small effect on stress reduction over a 3-month period: effect size (standardized mean difference) = -0.29 (95% CI: -0.49, -0.10). However, no significant evidence was found for stress reduction from 3 months onwards, nor for weight or body mass index reduction in any period. Mindfulness-based interventions are effective in reducing stress in the short term, but not in the medium or long term, nor are they effective for weight or body mass index. More robust and longer study designs are needed to determine their effects.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AdultHumansMindfulnessObesityWeight LossBody Mass IndexStress, Psychological
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy45/10
Quality75/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations9
Citations/Year3.0
Relative Citation Ratio1.81
NIH Percentile71.4%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.75
Weight Score1.58
Normalized Score0.53
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