City Research Online

Abstract

As rates of overweight and obesity continue to increase across the global population, addressing this major health crisis has become a primary concern for governments and public health officials. Several measures have been implemented to induce behaviour change and promote healthier lifestyles, such as development of dietary and physical activity interventions and introduction of policies to make healthier choices more accessible. In recent years, mindfulness has emerged as a novel approach that could potentially be beneficial in the context of weight management. Mindfulness is the practice of paying deliberate attention to the present moment, without judgment. It has been suggested that practicing mindfulness can help individuals to regulate their food consumption, for example, by increasing awareness of internal sensations of hunger and satiety which can prevent overeating and mindless snacking. However, findings are inconsistent across the literature with some studies failing to find any effect of mindfulness on food intake. Insights into the underlying mechanisms of action by which mindfulness influences food consumption may help to understand when mindfulness is and is not effective, however at present there is limited research in this area. Furthermore, even if mindfulness is an effective practice for helping curb food intake, research shows that individuals may struggle with adhering to the practice consistently enough to see its effects. It is therefore imperative to explore how adherence to mindfulness can be encouraged in order to facilitate implementation of mindfulness-based interventions in practice. This thesis aimed to address these knowledge gaps by examining the effects of mindfulness on food consumption, exploring a potential underlying mechanism, and investigating strategies which may enhance adherence to mindfulness-based weight management strategies.

Chapter Two presents a systematic review and meta-analysis which consolidated the available research exploring the effects of mindfulness on food intake and appetite. Mindfulness was significantly associated with a reduction in food intake with a small effect size. No associations were found between mindfulness and appetite. In Chapter Three, an empirical laboratory-based study investigated increased awareness of satiety signals as a potential mechanism of action for the effect of mindfulness on food intake. Individuals’ food intake while they were distracted was measured following a mindfulness-based body scan or control visualisation meditation. Although the mindfulness-based body scan was associated with increased attention to the body, this did not subsequently diminish food intake as predicted, thus failing to provide evidence for this particular mechanism of action. Finally, Chapter Four investigated whether adherence to mindfulness-based weight management strategies over a two-week period could be enhanced by manipulating the length of information given to participants about the strategy and promoting the formation of implementation intentions to support use of the strategy. Although shorter information was found to be associated with increased adherence with a small effect size, this effect was not statistically significant, potentially due to inadequate power. There was no significant effect of implementation intentions on adherence overall, however, there was a significant moderation effect by individuals’ planning skill abilities. Individuals with poorer planning skills reported greater adherence when forming implementation intentions as opposed to when they were given simple tips on strategy use.

The thesis makes several key contributions to the literature on mindfulness and food intake, by establishing more conclusive results regarding the impact of mindfulness on food intake and expanding the limited literature available on potential underlying mechanisms for this effect. Despite the absence of evidence for increased awareness of satiety signals as an underlying mechanism, the research establishes a foundation for future work in this field. Finally, the thesis provides preliminary support for the use of shorter information and the personalisation of interventions based on traits such as planning ability to improve adherence to mindfulness-based weight management interventions. Overall, the findings of this thesis establish mindfulness as a valuable component of weight management approaches. While further investigations are necessary to corroborate these findings, they have important implications for the development of interventions and policies in the context of weight management to address the issues of overweight and obesity.

Publication Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Departments:	School of Health & Medical Sciences > Psychology School of Health & Medical Sciences > School of Health & Medical Sciences Doctoral Theses Doctoral Theses

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