Mindfulness Interventions

In the article, “Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Obesity-Related Eating Behaviours: A Literature Review,” O’Reilly, Cook, Spruijt-Metz, and Black (2014) provide compelling evidence about the efficacy of mindfulness in regards to eating behaviors associated with obesity; specifically, the use of mindfulness practices for binge eating, emotional eating, and external eating behavior. Of the 21 articles that were reviewed by O’Reilly et al. (2014), 18 found evidence suggesting that mindfulness interventions improved the eating behavior targeted in the study. In 11 out of the 12 studies targeting binge eating, O’Reilly et al. (2014) found an improvement in binge eating frequency. Of the eight studies that looked at emotional eating, five found …show more content…
Research clearly shows that weight loss interventions that focus solely on calories and limiting foods do not work long term and that it is important to start working on the underlying reasons that cause people to eat. The high success rates in the studies reviewed by O’Reilly et al. (2014) show that mindfulness practices create a skill set for individuals that help with maladaptive eating habits as well as foster more positive relationships with food. By changing both eating habits and a person’s relationship with food, a nutritionist can better help a client create long lasting weight loss and maintenance. Another key finding of this review, was that there are multiple types of mindfulness practices (combination of mindfulness and cognitive behavior therapy, mindful eating programs, and acceptance-based programs) that can be used successfully in the treatment of obesity, meaning that mindfulness can be tailored for individuals (O’Reilly et al., 2014). This information is especially useful in a clinical setting because it allows the practitioner to meet the client where they are and find a practice that best fits into their specific