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Dispositional mindfulness may impact obesity, abdominal fat

Individuals who were more aware of and paid more attention to their feelings and thoughts were at lower risk for obesity and had less abdominal fat, according to recently published data. 

“The current study observed associations of low dispositional mindfulness with greater obesity, android fat mass and android/gynoid ratio, compared with high mindfulness. This research extends early findings in randomized controlled trials of mindfulness-based interventions that show effects on eating behaviors and preliminary evidence for impacts on weight loss in some but not all studies,” Eric B. Loucks, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, and colleagues wrote.

Eric B. Loucks

Loucks and colleagues analyzed results from 394 participants’ Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans to assess how dispositional mindfulness may affect obesity and central adiposity.

Results demonstrated that participants were 34% more likely to be obese if their MAAS scores were less than 4, compared with those with a score of 6, according to a press release. These results remained even after adjusting for age, race, smoking and socioeconomic status.

“Low vs. high” MAAS scores were also associated with a 448 g higher android fat mass (95% confidence limit [CL], 39-857) and a greater android/gynoid ratio (0.056; 95% CL, 0.003-0.11), according to the researchers.

Participants who were not obese during childhood but became obese in adulthood (n = 154) tended to have lower MAAS scores (– 0.21; 95% CL, – 0.41 to – 0.01; P = .04) compared with those who had never been obese (n = 203).

Loucks and colleagues believe that being aware of each and every moment may help people overcome cravings, eat healthier and help initiate exercise, according to a press release.

The researchers noted the importance of more research to determine if low dispositional mindfulness may be a risk factor for obesity and adiposity, as well as to assess where mindfulness has a causal role in lowering obesity risk.

“This field is still very new, and high-quality prospective studies are needed to firmly evaluate whether dispositional mindfulness is related to obesity and adiposity and the potential contributions of mindfulness-based interventions to weight loss in those who are overweight or obese,” the researchers concluded.

Disclosures: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.