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Mindfulness in Motion and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) in Hypertensive African Americans.
Wright, KD, Klatt, MD, Adams, IR, Nguyen, CM, Mion, LC, Tan, A, Monroe, TB, Rose, KM, Scharre, DW
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2021;(3):773-778
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OBJECTIVES Hypertension increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or related dementias. This pilot study's purpose was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a novel intervention, Mindfulness in Motion (MIM) and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension DASH (MIM DASH), to improve diet, mindfulness, stress, and systolic blood pressure (BP) in older African Americans with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and hypertension. DESIGN Cluster randomized controlled trial. SETTING Intergenerational community center in a large metropolitan area. PARTICIPANTS African Americans with MCI and hypertension. Participants were divided into six groups randomized 1:1:1 to the MIM DASH group, attention only (non-hypertensive education) group, or true control group. The MIM DASH and attention only interventions were delivered in 8-weekly 2 hour group sessions. MIM included mindful movements from chair/standing, breathing exercises, and guided meditation. The DASH component used a critical thinking approach of problem solving, goal setting, reflection, and self-efficacy. The true control group received a DASH pamphlet at the end. MEASUREMENTS Feasibility was tracked through enrollment and attendance records; acceptability was assessed through interviews. Blood pressure was measured using the Omron HEM-907XL Monitor. Dietary intake was measured by DASH-Q. Mindfulness was measured by the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale. Stress was measured by the Perceived Stress Scale. MCI was determined using the Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination. Data were collected at baseline and 3-months. RESULTS Median session attendance was six for the MIM DASH group and six for the attention only group. There were no changes in diet, mindfulness, or stress. There was a clinically significant reduction in systolic BP in the MIM DASH group (-7.2 mmHg) relative to the attention only group (-.7), and no change between the MIM DASH and true control groups. CONCLUSION Results indicate that the MIM DASH intervention was feasible and culturally acceptable in African Americans with hypertension and MCI.
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A feasibility randomised controlled trial of Novel Activity Management in severe ASthma-Tailored Exercise (NAMASTE): yoga and mindfulness.
Hiles, SA, Urroz, PD, Gibson, PG, Bogdanovs, A, McDonald, VM
BMC pulmonary medicine. 2021;(1):71
Abstract
BACKGROUND Physical inactivity is common in severe asthma and associated with poor health outcomes. New approaches are needed to address physical inactivity in this group. OBJECTIVE To examine whether yoga and mindfulness improves health-related quality of life (HRQoL) compared with a minimal active control group and collect feasibility data to inform future studies. METHODS Over 12-weeks, adults with severe asthma were recruited. Participants were randomised 2:1 to parallel yoga or control groups. All participants received an activity tracker. The yoga group received tailored group classes twice a week for 16-weeks with a qualified yoga instructor. The control group set activity goals with a research officer and received eight progress calls. Outcomes were assessed at 16-weeks. Primary outcome was St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Secondary outcomes included asthma control, physical activity, breathlessness, and inflammation. Face-to-face qualitative interviews were conducted to determine acceptability. RESULTS There were 15 participants randomised to yoga (mean 67 years; 60% female) and 9 to control (68 years; 56% female). Planned comparisons indicated the yoga group had greater SGRQ improvement than the control group. There was little change in secondary outcomes. Moderate-vigorous activity increased substantially in the control group. Participants found the intervention acceptable; key barriers and facilitators were social connection, the setting, addressing breathing and asthma symptoms, changing their mindset, and the intersection of different elements. CONCLUSION A yoga and mindfulness intervention was feasible, acceptable to patients and improved HRQoL. The findings will inform design of much needed future research into physical activity interventions for severe asthma. World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform The study was registered under the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) on the 26th of November 2018, Trial ID ACTRN12618001914257.
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Targeting Depressive Symptoms in Younger Breast Cancer Survivors: The Pathways to Wellness Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Meditation and Survivorship Education.
Bower, JE, Partridge, AH, Wolff, AC, Thorner, ED, Irwin, MR, Joffe, H, Petersen, L, Crespi, CM, Ganz, PA
Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 2021;(31):3473-3484
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PURPOSE Younger women are at risk for depression and related symptoms following breast cancer. The Pathways to Wellness study, a randomized, multi-institution, three-arm trial, tested the efficacy of two behavioral interventions for younger breast cancer survivors with elevated depressive symptoms: mindful awareness practices (MAPs) and survivorship education (SE) (Clincaltrials.gov identifier: NCT03025139). METHODS Women diagnosed with breast cancer at or before 50 years of age who had completed treatment and had elevated depressive symptoms were randomly assigned to 6 weeks of MAPs, SE, or wait-list control (WLC). Assessments were conducted preintervention and postintervention and at 3-month and 6-month postintervention follow-ups. Analyses compared each intervention to WLC using linear mixed models. The primary outcome was change in depressive symptoms from preintervention to postintervention on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale; secondary outcomes included change in fatigue, insomnia, and vasomotor symptoms. RESULTS Two hundred forty-seven women (median age = 46 years) were randomly assigned to MAPs (n = 85), SE (n = 81), or WLC (n = 81). MAPs and SE led to significant decreases in depressive symptoms from preintervention to postintervention relative to WLC (mean change relative to WLC [95% CI]: MAPs, -4.7 [-7.5 to -1.9]; SE, -4.0 [-6.9 to -1.1]), which persisted at 6-month follow-up for MAPs (mean change relative to WLC [95% CI]: MAPs, -3.7 [-6.6 to -0.8]; SE, -2.8 [-5.9 to 0.2]). MAPs, but not SE, also had beneficial effects on fatigue, insomnia, and vasomotor symptoms that persisted at 6-month follow-up (P < .05). CONCLUSION Mindfulness meditation and SE reduced depressive symptoms in younger breast cancer survivors. These interventions can be widely disseminated over virtual platforms and have significant potential benefit for quality of life and overall survivorship in this vulnerable group.
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Examining the effect of mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) on stress and lifestyle of Iranian pregnant women.
Jalambadani, Z, Borji, A, Bakaeian, M
Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology : the journal of the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 2020;(6):779-783
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) in decreasing stress and improving on pregnant women's life style in Neyshabur, Iran 2018. The participants of the present quasi-experimental study were 84 pregnant women. The findings showed that the MBAT group demonstrated a significant decrease in symptoms of distress and significant improvements in key aspects of the health-related style of life as measured by Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II questionnaire. Moreover, it was found that the MBAT intervention had a significant effect on improving lifestyle behaviours (p < .05). The highest mean score of lifestyle was for the sub-domain of nutrition (31.35 ± 5.34), while the lowest score was achieved by the sub-domains of physical activity (13.55 ± 1.89).The mean (SD) score of stress management was (19.12 ± 1.54). This investigation of MBAT provides initial encouraging data that support a possible future role for the intervention as a psychosocial option for decreasing symptoms of distress in pregnant women and improving their lifestyle.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? Mindfulness-based art therapy is a blend of basic meditation principles and art therapy. The results of this study showed that mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) could decrease the stress and improve lifestyle behaviours in pregnant women.What do the results of this study add? The results of the present study showed that mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) during pregnancy decreased the stress and improved life style. It is believed that changing lifestyle to include mind-body medicine such as MBAT in pregnant women will greatly reduce stress responses, and help protect pregnant women from disease during pregnancy.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The study showed the important role of mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) during pregnancy in reducing stress and improving life style.
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Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle through Mindfulness in University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Soriano-Ayala, E, Amutio, A, Franco, C, Mañas, I
Nutrients. 2020;(8)
Abstract
The present study explored the effects of a second-generation mindfulness-based intervention known as flow meditation (Meditación-Fluir) in the improvement of healthy life behaviors. A sample of university students (n = 51) in Spain were randomly assigned to a seven-week mindfulness treatment or a waiting list control group. Results showed that compared to the control group, individuals in the mindfulness group demonstrated significant improvements across all outcome measures including healthy eating habits (balanced diet, intake rate, snacking between meals, decrease in consumption by negative emotional states, increased consumption by negative emotional states, amount of consumption, meal times, consumption of low-fat products), tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis consumption, and resting habits. There were differences between males and females in some of these variables and a better effect of the treatment was evident in the females of the experimental group when compared to the males. The flow meditation program shows promise for fostering a healthy lifestyle, thus decreasing behaviors related to maladaptive eating, tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis consumption as well as negative rest habits in university students. This mindfulness program could significantly contribute to the treatment of eating disorders and addictions, wherein negative emotional states and impulsivity are central features of the condition.
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The effect of a mindfulness-based therapy on different biomarkers among patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a randomised controlled trial.
González-Moret, R, Cebolla, A, Cortés, X, Baños, RM, Navarrete, J, de la Rubia, JE, Lisón, JF, Soria, JM
Scientific reports. 2020;(1):6071
Abstract
Mindfulness-based interventions have shown some efficacy in decreasing stress levels and improving quality of life. However, so far, only a few studies have studied this type of intervention among patients with inflammatory bowel disease and none of them have studied their effects on inflammatory biomarkers. This current study was a two-armed, single-centre, randomised (2:1 ratio) controlled trial used to evaluate the effects of a mindfulness-based intervention (n = 37) compared to standard medical therapy (n = 20) in patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. The mindfulness intervention blended four internet-based therapy modules with four face-to-face support sessions. The outcomes we assessed were faecal calprotectin (primary outcome), C-reactive protein, and cortisol levels measured in hair samples at several timepoints. The between-group analysis highlighted significant decreases in faecal calprotectin and in C-reactive protein levels in the mindfulness-based intervention group compared to the standard medical therapy group at the six-month follow-up (faecal calprotectin: -367, [95% CI: -705, -29], P = 0.03; C-reactive protein: -2.82, [95% CI: -5.70, 0.08], P = 0.05), with moderate to large effect sizes (faecal calprotectin: ηp2 = 0.085; C-reactive protein: ηp2 = 0.066). We concluded that mindfulness-based therapy administered as part of standard clinical practice effectively improves inflammatory biomarkers in patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease.
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The Health Promoting Mindfulness or Qigong Educational Programs for Beneficial Lifestyle Changes of Cancer Survivors.
Cheng, TC, Lee, YH, Mar, CL, Huang, WT, Chang, YP
Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education. 2020;(4):743-750
Abstract
This study used heart rate variability (HRV) to monitor levels of cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and quality of life (QOL) of cancer survivors subjected to program measures at different psychosomatic or functional levels. A longitudinal study was conducted at a cancer center in Taiwan. Fifty-two cancer survivals were randomly assigned to either the mindfulness group (n = 25) or the Qigong group (n = 27). Both groups received a 12-week mindfulness and Qigong programs, respectively. Improvements in CRF, QOL, and HRV after a 12-week program and at the 3-month follow-up point. For the long-term effects in both mindfulness and Qigong groups, CRF showed a significant downward trend (p < 0.05), but a significant upward trend was observed in HRV (p < 0.001). Mindfulness and Qigong exhibited different effectiveness in individuals, indicating that the mental and physical aspects of health are equally essential and should be addressed in a complementary combination. These findings are worthy of being shared with cancer survivors to benefit their physical and mental well-being. We suggest that healthcare professionals incorporate mindfulness and Qigong in cancer survivors' daily life as means to encourage lifestyle changes for improving their health.
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Mindfulness-based group intervention in adolescents at-risk for excess weight gain: A randomized controlled pilot study.
Shomaker, LB, Berman, Z, Burke, M, Annameier, SK, Pivarunas, B, Sanchez, N, Smith, AD, Hendrich, S, Riggs, NR, Legget, KT, et al
Appetite. 2019;:213-222
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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.
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Mindfulness in a Graduate Nursing Curriculum: A Randomized Controlled Study.
Plummer, C, Cloyd, E, Doersam, JK, Dietrich, MS, Hande, KA
Holistic nursing practice. 2018;(4):189-195
Abstract
This study evaluated a mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention for graduate nursing students. Forty-four participants engaged in 20 weekly, 1.5-hour sessions of mindfulness training. There were no statistically significant effects on participants' stress levels or quality of life, yet there was a statistically significant increase in overall mindfulness (P < .05).
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Engaging women with an embodied conversational agent to deliver mindfulness and lifestyle recommendations: A feasibility randomized control trial.
Gardiner, PM, McCue, KD, Negash, LM, Cheng, T, White, LF, Yinusa-Nyahkoon, L, Jack, BW, Bickmore, TW
Patient education and counseling. 2017;(9):1720-1729
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OBJECTIVE This randomized controlled trial evaluates the feasibility of using an Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) to teach lifestyle modifications to urban women. METHODS Women were randomized to either 1) an ECA (content included: mindfulness, stress management, physical activity, and healthy eating) or 2) patient education sheets mirroring same content plus a meditation CD/MP3 once a day for one month. General outcome measures included: number of stress management techniques used, physical activity levels, and eating patterns. RESULTS Sixty-one women ages 18 to 50 were enrolled. On average, 51% identified as white, 26% as black, 23% as other races; and 20% as Hispanic. The major stress management techniques reported at baseline were: exercise (69%), listening to music (70%), and social support (66%). After one month, women randomized to the ECA significantly decreased alcohol consumption to reduce stress (p=0.03) and increased daily fruit consumption by an average of 2 servings compared to the control (p=0.04). CONCLUSION It is feasible to use an ECA to promote health behaviors on stress management and healthy eating among diverse urban women. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Compared to patient information sheets, ECAs provide promise as a way to teach healthy lifestyle behaviors to diverse urban women.