MINDFULNESS REDUCES OBESITY IN WOMEN

It is said that obesity is a dying ‘weigh’ of life. Actually, obesity is no laughing matter. Obesity and good health are incompatible. It’s as simple as that.

A new study, the results of which were presented at the recent annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in San Diego, California, has revealed that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)---a secular mindfulness meditation program developed by Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn---improves the quality of life in obese women and may decrease fasting glucose.

There are already numerous studies that have shown mindfulness to be effective in reducing stress and improving quality of life, and those who are overweight, other than for purely metabolic and endocrinological reasons, can testify to the link between stress and overeating. So, it stands to reason that the practice of mindfulness meditation and mindfulness-based programs should help with the problem---or should I say epidemic---of obesity.

In the study the MBSR group's mindfulness scores significantly increased and its perceived stress scores significantly decreased, compared to the HEC group's scores.

While sleep, depression, anxiety and overall psychological distress improved in both groups, fasting glucose dropped significantly and quality of life improved significantly in the MBSR group but not in the HEC group.

Weight, body mass index, blood pressure, lipid profile, hemoglobin A1c, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) remained similar with MBSR.

The participants in the study were all women. However, there seems no reason in principle why the regular practice of mindfulness ought not to have more-or-less the same beneficial effects in improving the quality of life and decreasing fasting glucose in men.