Mindfulness Approaches and Weight Loss, Weight Maintenance, and Weight Regain.
Carolyn Dunn, Megan Haubenreiser, Madison Johnson, Kelly Nordby, Surabhi Aggarwal, Sarah Myer, Cathy Thomas
Current obesity reports March 2018 DOI: 10.1007/s13679-018-0299-6 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Literature review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Mindful eating |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Awareness Literature review Mindful eating Mindfulness-based stress reduction Obesity Overweight Weight loss Weight maintenance Weight regain |
| Key findings | The review reports strong support for including mindful eating as a component of weight management programs, and contends it may provide substantial benefit in treating overweight and obesity. Mindful eating has been applied to reducing food cravings, portion control, body mass index, and body weight. Earlier reviews, the authors note, did not focus on change in mindful eating as the primary outcome or as a measured variable. |
Abstract
There is an urgent need for effective weight management techniques, as more than one third of US adults are overweight or obese. Recommendations for weight loss include a combination of reducing caloric intake, increasing physical activity, and behavior modification. Behavior modification includes mindful eating or eating with awareness. The purpose of this review was to summarize the literature and examine the impact of mindful eating on weight management. The practice of mindful eating has been applied to the reduction of food cravings, portion control, body mass index, and body weight. Past reviews evaluating the relationship between mindfulness and weight management did not focus on change in mindful eating as the primary outcome or mindful eating as a measured variable. This review demonstrates strong support for inclusion of mindful eating as a component of weight management programs and may provide substantial benefit to the treatment of overweight and obesity.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Meditation as a non-pharmacological treatment for narcolepsy: A literature review. Sleep Medicine June 24, 2025
- A Pilot and Feasibility Study on a Mindfulness-Based Intervention Adapted for LGBTQ+ Adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health October 16, 2024
- Effects of mindfulness and mindful eating on food intake and appetite: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review June 16, 2026
- Psychological correlates of mindful eating: the role of mindfulness and eating behaviors among health sciences students. BMC Public Health June 1, 2026
- Meditation practices and their relationship with eating behavior, weight changes, and mental health in adults from different regions of Brazil: A cross-sectional study. Nutrition 2023
and 2 more in the library
Cites 10
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 1, 2009
- Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition Choice Reviews Online July 1, 2005
- Effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness based cognitive therapy in vascular disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Journal of Psychosomatic Research May 1, 2014
- Mindfulness-based interventions for obesity-related eating behaviours: a literature review. Obesity Reviews March 18, 2014
and 5 more in the library