Mindfulness could improve glucose levels and heart health

Practicing mindfulness can be effective in allowing us to make more thoughtful food choices and recognise when we are hungry, satisfied or full, according to research led by Jennifer Daubenmier, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

In situations where high-calorie foods are readily available, it can be easy to fall into the habit of mindless eating. 

The study evaluated the effects of a mindfulness-based weight-loss intervention on adults with obesity. While no statistically significant differences in weight loss were found compared to the control group, the mindfulness intervention showed greater improvements in certain cardiometabolic outcomes tied to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease up to one year after the intervention ended.

"Our study suggests that mindful eating can go further than making healthy food choices and recognizing when we're full; it could improve glucose levels and heart health to a greater extent than behavioral weight-loss programs that do not teach mindful eating," Dr Daubenmier said.