Mindfulness among Participants in a Behavioral Weight Management Program
Obesity is a major public health concern in the United States today with over 65% of Americans considered overweight or obese, as defined by a BMI equal to or greater than 25. Although a number of weight management interventions have been developed and implemented, often programs do not facilitate long-term success. Behavioral weight management programs have implemented mindfulness training as an adjunct to target barriers to long-term weight loss, but results have been equivocal. The aim of this observational study was to assess the relationship between mindfulness and factors that have been linked to obesity and treatment outcome in a weight management treatment program with no mindfulness component. Overweight and obese participants (n=80) were recruited from a 3- or 6-month university-based behavioral weight management program. The weight management program targeted behavioral factors to facilitate weight loss via weekly classes directed by nutrition, exercise, and behavioral specialists in addition to providing individual support and access to exercise facilities. Participants completed self-report questionnaires at the start of the program and again at program completion. The sample was primarily female (78.8%) and Caucasian (78.8%) with an average age of 45.8 (¿¿11.5) years and an average BMI of 47.8 (¿¿12.0) kg/m¿¿ at baseline. Analysis of variance and regression analyses were used to analyze data. Results indicate that greater overall mindfulness was associated with less emotional eating and avoidant coping, higher eating self-efficacy, and greater quality of life (mental and weight-specific) at baseline. However, change in mindfulness during the program was only associated with change in physical quality of life, and in an unexpected direction. Increased mindfulness was associated with reduced physical quality of life. Additionally, exploratory analyses of the mindfulness facets suggest mindfulness may influence weight-related variables and quality of life variables through different mechanisms. Baseline BMI was associated with physical QOL and weight-specific quality of life, but was not associated with mindfulness or other psychosocial variables. Thus, mindfulness is associated with obesity-specific factors, providing support for the potential benefits of being mindful during weight management. Results of this study provide evidence consistent with theoretical arguments in favor of mindfulness intervention. However, these findings indicate the need to better understand mindfulness among individuals participating in weight management. Before evidence-based interventions can be developed, further research is needed to identify and understand the mechanisms through which mindfulness may effect change in weight management outcomes. These findings suggest that mindfulness is associated with weight-related variables in both expected and unexpected directions. Further research is needed to explore positive and negative correlates of mindfulness in the context of behavioral weight management.
Behavioral Sciences, Health, Psychology, Obesity, mindfulness, weight loss
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