Abstract
Objectives
This study tested whether a mindfulness-based intervention for obesity that included components aimed at emotion regulation and mindful eating improved psychological outcomes including stress, anxiety, positive emotion, and depression, during the intervention period and at longer-term follow-up.
Methods
Adults with obesity (N=194) were randomized to a 5.5-month diet-exercise weight loss intervention with or without mindfulness training focused on emotion regulation and mindful eating. Participants completed self-report measures of mindfulness and psychological well-being, which were planned secondary outcomes, at baseline, at mid-intervention (3 months), and at 6, 12, and 18 months post-baseline (maintenance period). Mixed effects models and linear regression were used to test between- and within-group changes in psychological well-being. This study also explored whether changes in mindfulness (from baseline to each 6 and 18 months post-baseline) mediated the effects of intervention arm on changes in psychological outcomes during those respective time periods. Finally, this study explored whether changes in mindfulness from baseline to 6 months mediated the effects of intervention arm on changes in psychological outcomes from baseline to 18 months.
Results
Participants randomized to the mindfulness arm had significant increases in positive emotions at all follow-up times compared to controls. There were statistically significant increases in mindfulness, psychological flexibility, and reflection, as well as decreases in anxiety and depressive symptoms at 12 months compared to control participants. These changes remained significant for psychological flexibility and reflection at 18 months. There were no significant differences in perceived stress. Among mindfulness participants, greater increases in mindfulness from 6 to 18 months were associated with greater positive emotions and psychological flexibility as well as lower perceived stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and rumination at 18 months, adjusting for 6-month values. Mediation analyses indicated that randomization to the mindfulness intervention arm was associated with 6-month increases in mindfulness, and these increases were in turn associated with improved psychological outcomes at 6 months and 18 months. Changes from baseline to 18 months did not mediate 18-month changes in psychological outcomes.
Conclusions
Mindfulness training in emotion regulation and mindful eating may provide greater longer-term psychological well-being benefits in non-clinical populations with obesity compared to conventional diet-exercise interventions.
Trial Registration
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00960414
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Data Availability
All data are available at the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/yh4cb/).
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the research participants involved in this study.
Funding
This study was supported by NIH grants from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) P01AT005013, K24AT007827, K01AT004199, and T32AT003997 as well as the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, UCSF-CTSI Grant Number UL1 TR000004.
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ARH contributed to the study conception, analyzed and interpreted the data, and drafted and critically revised the manuscript. SJSH contributed to the study conception, assisted with data analysis and interpretation, and drafted and critically revised the manuscript. JD designed and executed the study, assisted with data interpretation, and drafted and critically revised the manuscript. PJM: executed the study and drafted and critically revised the manuscript. WH: assisted with data analysis and interpretation, and drafted and critically revised the manuscript. MA: assisted with data management and drafted and critically revised the manuscript. JK: designed intervention components and critically revised the manuscript. ESE: designed the study and critically revised the manuscript. AEM: drafted and critically revised the manuscript. FMH: designed and executed the study, secured grant funding, and drafted and critically revised the manuscript. Ashley E. Mason and Frederick M. Hecht contributed equally as senior co-authors. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
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Hooker, A.R., Sagui-Henson, S.J., Daubenmier, J. et al. Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Weight Loss Intervention on Long-term Psychological Well-being Among Adults with Obesity: Secondary Analyses from the Supporting Health by Integrating Nutrition and Exercise (SHINE) Trial. Mindfulness 13, 2227–2242 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01951-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-022-01951-2