Mindfulness-based intervention in adolescents at risk for excess weight gain: 1.5-year follow-up of pilot randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) may offer a novel means of preventing excess weight gain in adolescents, theoretically by decreasing stress-eating through altering executive functioning (EF) and food-reward sensitivity. METHODS: N = 54 12-17y girls and boys at-risk for excess weight gain (i.e., BMI ≥70th percentile or two biological parents with reported obesity [BMI ≥30 kg/m2]) participated in a 1.5-year follow-up of a pilot randomized controlled trial comparing 6-week/6-session MBI (n = 29) and a health education (HE) control (n = 25). Laboratory stress-eating, food-reward sensitivity, EF, perceived stress, and BMI/adiposity were re-assessed at 1.5-years with validated measures. Changes from baseline to 1.5-year follow-up were explored with ANCOVA, accounting for the respective baseline outcome, age, and sex. RESULTS: Compared to MBI (M = -21, SE = 59), HE had greater increases in stress-eating from baseline to 1.5-years (M = 194, SE = 63, Cohen's d = 0.59, p = .01). There were no other between-condition differences. DISCUSSION: MBI may prevent worsening stress-eating for adolescents at-risk for excess weight gain. The potential for MBI as an intervention for stress-eating and ultimately, weight stabilization warrants testing in an adequately-powered trial.

Mindfulness-based group intervention in adolescents at-risk for excess weight gain: A randomized controlled pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess feasibility/acceptability of a mindfulness-based approach to excess weight prevention in adolescents at-risk for excess weight gain. To pilot test efficacy of a mindfulness-based intervention for improving food reward sensitivity, stress-eating, executive function (EF), and BMI/adiposity. METHODS: A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted with 12-17y adolescents at-risk for excess weight gain based on above-average weight (body mass index [BMI]≥70%ile) or parental history of obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m2). Adolescents were randomized to a mindfulness-based (n = 29) or health education control group (n = 25) that met for six weekly one-hour sessions. Feasibility/acceptability were determined from attendance and acceptability survey ratings. At baseline, six-week and six-month follow-up, adolescents' perceived stress was measured with the Perceived Stress Scale, food reward sensitivity with a behavioral task, stress-eating during a laboratory test meal, and EF with the parent-reported Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function and NIH Toolbox. At the same intervals, BMI indices and body fat by air displacement plethysmography were assessed in a fasted state. RESULTS: Median session attendance was 6:6 sessions in both conditions; program acceptability ratings were above-average. Compared to health education, adolescents in mindfulness had lower food reward sensitivity at six-months (Cohen's d = 0.64, p = .01). There were no between-condition differences in BMI (mindfulness vs. health educationΔsix-months 95%CI 0.20, 1.52 kg/m2 vs. 0.21, 1.62 kg/m2) or adiposity (-3.64, -0.61% vs. -4.31, -1.04%) changes. CONCLUSIONS: A mindfulness-based group intervention is feasible/acceptable among adolescents at-risk for excess weight. In this pilot sample, mindfulness and health education were equivocal for BMI/adiposity outcomes. Future trials with a larger, adequately-powered sample and longer-term follow-up are necessary to test efficacy of a mindfulness-based intervention for food reward sensitivity, stress-eating, EF, and stabilizing growth trajectories in youth at-risk for adult obesity.

Effects of a ketogenic diet on auditory gating in DBA/2 mice: A proof-of-concept study.

Although the ketogenic diet has shown promise in a pilot study and case report in schizophrenia, its effects in animal models of hypothesized disease mechanisms are unknown. This study examined effects of treatment with the ketogenic diet on hippocampal P20/N40 gating in DBA/2 mice, a translational endophenotype that mirrors inhibitory deficits in P50 sensory gating in schizophrenia patients. As expected, the diet increased blood ketone levels. Animals with the highest ketone levels showed the lowest P20/N40 gating ratios. These preliminary results suggest that the ketogenic diet may effectively target sensory gating deficits and is a promising area for additional research in schizophrenia.