Mindfulness-based interventions for adults who are overweight or obese: a meta-analysis of physical and psychological health outcomes.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on psychological and physical health outcomes in overweight or obese adults.
Results Summary
Mindfulness-based interventions showed large effects on eating behaviors, medium effects on depression, anxiety, and eating attitudes, and small effects on BMI and metacognition. Therapeutic effects for BMI, anxiety, and eating behaviors remained significant in higher-quality trials, with no additional benefit from higher intervention doses.
Population
Overweight or obese adults
Effective Dosage
Median dose of 12 hours of face-to-face intervention
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mindfulness-based interventions | decrease | weight | adults who are overweight or obese | 4.2 kg | The average weight loss was | #1 |
mindfulness-based interventions | increase | eating behaviours | adults who are overweight or obese | g = 1.08 | Overall effects were large for improving | #2 |
mindfulness-based interventions | decrease | depression | adults who are overweight or obese | g = 0.64 | Overall effects were medium for | #3 |
mindfulness-based interventions | decrease | anxiety | adults who are overweight or obese | g = 0.62 | Overall effects were medium for | #4 |
mindfulness-based interventions | increase | eating attitudes | adults who are overweight or obese | g = 0.57 | Overall effects were medium for | #5 |
mindfulness-based interventions | decrease | body mass index (BMI) | adults who are overweight or obese | g = 0.47 | Overall effects were small for | #6 |
mindfulness-based interventions | increase | metacognition | adults who are overweight or obese | g = 0.38 | Overall effects were small for | #7 |
mindfulness-based interventions | decrease | BMI | adults who are overweight or obese | g = 0.43 | Therapeutic effects for | #8 |
mindfulness-based interventions | decrease | anxiety | adults who are overweight or obese | g = 0.53 | Therapeutic effects for | #9 |
mindfulness-based interventions | increase | eating attitudes | adults who are overweight or obese | g = 0.48 | Therapeutic effects for | #10 |
mindfulness-based interventions | increase | eating behaviours | adults who are overweight or obese | g = 0.53 | Therapeutic effects for | #11 |
mindfulness-based interventions | no change | efficacy | adults who are overweight or obese | no efficacy advantage | There was no efficacy advantage for studies exceeding the median dose of 12 h of face-to-face intervention | #12 |
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy approach | decrease | BMI | adults who are overweight or obese | g = 0.66 | provided the only significant effect for improving | #13 |
mindfulness approaches | increase | psychological health and eating-related constructs | adults who are overweight or obese | g = 0.30-1.68 | produced great variation from small to large effects across a range of psychological health and eating-related constructs | #14 |
mindfulness-based interventions | no change | BMI | adults who are overweight or obese | g = 0.85 | the limited longitudinal data suggested maintenance of | #15 |
mindfulness-based interventions | no change | eating attitudes | adults who are overweight or obese | g = 0.75 | the limited longitudinal data suggested maintenance of | #16 |
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on psychological and physical health outcomes in adults who are overweight or obese. METHODS: We searched 14 electronic databases for randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies that met eligibility criteria. Comprehensive Meta-analysis software was used to compute the effect size estimate Hedge's g. RESULTS: Fifteen studies measuring post-treatment outcomes of mindfulness-based interventions in 560 individuals were identified. The average weight loss was 4.2 kg. Overall effects were large for improving eating behaviours (g = 1.08), medium for depression (g = 0.64), anxiety (g = 0.62) and eating attitudes (g = 0.57) and small for body mass index (BMI; g = 0.47) and metacognition (g = 0.38) outcomes. Therapeutic effects for BMI (g = 0.43), anxiety (g = 0.53), eating attitudes (g = 0.48) and eating behaviours (g = 0.53) remained significant when examining results from higher quality randomized control trials alone. There was no efficacy advantage for studies exceeding the median dose of 12 h of face-to-face intervention. Studies utilizing an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy approach provided the only significant effect for improving BMI (g = 0.66), while mindfulness approaches produced great variation from small to large (g = 0.30-1.68) effects across a range of psychological health and eating-related constructs. Finally, the limited longitudinal data suggested maintenance of BMI (g = 0.85) and eating attitudes (g = 0.75) gains at follow-up were only detectable in lower quality prospective cohort studies. CONCLUSIONS: Mindfulness-based interventions may be both physically and psychologically beneficial for adults who are overweight or obese, but further high-quality research examining the mechanisms of action are encouraged.