Mindfulness Intervention for Stress Eating to Reduce Cortisol and Abdominal Fat among Overweight and Obese Women: An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Study

Abstract

Psychological distress and elevated cortisol secretion promote abdominal fat, a feature of the Metabolic Syndrome. Effects of stress reduction interventions on abdominal fat are unknown. Forty-seven overweight/obese women (mean BMI = 31.2) were randomly assigned to a 4-month intervention or waitlist group to explore effects of a mindfulness program for stress eating. We assessed mindfulness, psychological distress, eating behavior, weight, cortisol awakening response (CAR), and abdominal fat (by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) pre- and posttreatment. Treatment participants improved in mindfulness, anxiety, and external-based eating compared to control participants. Groups did not differ on average CAR, weight, or abdominal fat over time. However, obese treatment participants showed significant reductions in CAR and maintained body weight, while obese control participants had stable CAR and gained weight. Improvements in mindfulness, chronic stress, and CAR were associated with reductions in abdominal fat. This proof of concept study suggests that mindfulness training shows promise for improving eating patterns and the CAR, which may reduce abdominal fat over time.

Role of Yoga and Meditation in Prevention of Obesity.

“…Both these techniques have been reported to reduce stress and anxiety in subjects of the intervention group significantly more than that in the control group, by several authors. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10] (Table 1) Researchers have reported improvement in eating behavior following intervention with yoga and meditation. They have also shown significant reduction of eating disorder and Binge Eating Disorder.…”

“…They have also shown significant reduction of eating disorder and Binge Eating Disorder. 8,[10][11][12][13] (Table 2) Following courses of yoga and meditation reduction in outcomes under study viz. alcohol use, craving for alcohol and dependence on alcohol, was reported.…”

“…However, there was no difference between the two groups in overall weight and abdominal fat/trunk-leg fat ratio as reported by one researcher. 10,12,18 (Table 4) Potentially relevant articles identified, on the basis of Inclusion Criteria:- …”

“…This may be applicable for humans too so that ingestion of "comfort foods" provides a short-term relief of stress leading to increased abdominal adiposity. 10 The link between stress and addiction to various substances is also well established. Alcohol and drug use have been seen to increase with stress.…”

“…The criteria for exclusion were:  studies other than Randomized Controlled Trial  multiple interventions given simultaneously to study group 339  control groups receiving some other intervention Finally 15 articles were eligible to be included for review. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Data was extracted from the selected articles and sorted according to outcomes studied and arranged in tables in chronological sequence. Though inclusion criteria were kept as publications in past 50 years, only 2 studies published in the last millennium were eligible to be included.…”