Anthropometric and behavioral measures related to mindfulness in college students.
Sarah Grinnell, Geoffrey Greene, Kathleen Melanson, Bryan Blissmer, Ingrid E Lofgren
Journal of American College Health 2011 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2011.555932 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 75 |
| Population | Male and female first-year college students at the University of Rhode Island |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Chronic disease Anthropometry Body mass index Health surveys Nutrition surveys Awareness Psychometrics Nutritional status Blood pressure Students Universities Adolescent Rhode island Female Statistics as topic Surveys and questionnaires |
| Key findings | Students with lower mindfulness had a higher waist circumference than those with higher mindfulness, and mindfulness was correlated with weight-related behaviors. The authors suggest mindfulness may affect health status in first-year college students, particularly behaviors linked to weight, but note that further research is needed before it can be recommended for weight-gain prevention. |
Abstract
Objective: To determine whether mindfulness is associated with physical and behavioral measures in first semester college students.
Participants: Male and female first year college students (n = 75) from the University of Rhode Island.
Methods: Height, weight, waist circumference (WC), and blood pressure were assessed and online questionnaires were completed. Independent t tests and Pearson correlations were utilized for analysis.
Results: The less mindful group had a higher WC than the more mindful group. Correlations were seen between mindfulness and weight-related behaviors.
Conclusions: Mindfulness can impact health status of first year college students, particularly with behavioral measures that have been found to effect weight status. However, additional research is needed focusing on mindfulness as a potential weight gain prevention technique for first year college students in order to decrease chronic disease prevalence.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Correlation Status of Mindfulness with Depression, Anxiety, and Related Factors in Students of Khalkhal Faculty of Medical Sciences Journal of Health and Hygiene October 1, 2024
- The Mindfulness App Trial for Weight, Weight-Related Behaviors, and Stress in University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial JMIR mHealth and uHealth April 1, 2019
Cites 3
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Cultivating mindfulness: effects on well‐being Journal of Clinical Psychology May 16, 2008
- A pilot study comparing the effects of mindfulness-based and cognitive-behavioral stress reduction. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine April 2008