A pilot open-label feasibility trial examining an adjunctive mindfulness intervention for adolescents with obesity

Abstract

Background: Obesity in adolescence is predictive of obesity in adulthood and risk for chronic disease. Traditional behavioral approaches to addressing obesity in adolescence rarely yield meaningful changes in body mass index (BMI), suggesting that adjunctive treatments are necessary. Herein, we describe a study examining whether it is feasible to integrate a brief mindfulness intervention with the usual recommended care for adolescent obesity in a pediatric weight management clinic. Methods: We conducted a single arm open-label trial with 11 adolescent patients with obesity. Participants received the recommended standard of medical management of obesity (usual care) plus a six-week mindfulness intervention. To assess our primary aim of feasibility, we examined recruitment, retention, and satisfaction rates. Participants also completed measures of mindfulness, emotion regulation, disordered eating, quality of life, and executive functioning, and had their BMI and blood pressure measured. Results: We recruited 11 adolescents to participate in the intervention, with 8 (73%) completing the entire program. Attendance rates (85%) and satisfaction rates (100%) were promising for a larger trial. While preliminary analyses of changes in health outcomes should be examined with caution, effect sizes ranged from small to large with some promising trends in eating behaviors. Discussion: It might be feasible to augment existing behavioral interventions for adolescents with obesity with brief mindfulness; however, some adaptations are needed to enhance recruitment and retention. The lessons learned in this feasibility study can inform an adequately powered efficacy trial. Trial registration: This research is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03874377).

Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating AcceptME—A Digital Gamified Acceptance and Commitment Early Intervention Program for Individuals at High Risk for Eating Disorders

“…No significant effects were noted for quality of life. The scores reported on the YQOL-SF were close to those reported for general population of adolescents who do not present significant psychopathology (e.g., [ 53 , 54 ]); thus, it may be that participants in the present study did not experience significant quality of life impacts, and thus, there was not much room for improvement. The impacts on quality of life of youth presenting at high risk for developing an ED warrants further research examination.…”

Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating a Digital Gamified Acceptance and Commitment Early Intervention Program for Individuals at High-Risk for Eating Disorders

“…No significant effects were noted for quality of life. The scores reported on the YQOL-SF were close to those reported for general population of adolescents who do not present significant psychopathology (e.g., [46,47]) thus it may be that participants in the present study did not experience significant quality of life impacts and thus there was not much room for improvement. The impacts on quality of life of youth presenting at high-risk for developing an ED warrants further research examination.…”

Cross-cultural adaptation and measurement properties of Youth Quality of Life Instrument-Short Form (YQOL-SF) in a developing South-East Asian country

“…To date, several attempts have been made to validate the YQOL and YQOL-SF in different contexts and health conditions [8][9][10]. Moreover, this tool has been used in previous researches to measure QOL of children with obesity [11], or youths with obsessive-compulsive disorder [12]. However, none of the evidence was available about the psychometric properties of this instrument among Vietnamese youths.…”