Meditation is more effective than simply pursuing a healthy diet, new research suggests. Eighty people joined the study at North Carolina State University, some on their own diet and others in daily meditation.
The results showed that the meditation group lost an average of 4.2 pounds - seven times the average weight loss in the other group.
The researchers say this is startling proof of the power of meditation as the nation is battling obesity. Being overweight and obese increases the risk of chronic diseases, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
In recent years, mindful eating - focusing on what you are seeing and feeling at the moment - has been presented as a possible weight management strategy.
The main goal of the study was to examine the effectiveness of a program called Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less (ESMMWL) to raise awareness of eating habits. The researchers also wanted to investigate the relationship between mindful eating and weight loss.
ESMMWL was developed by researchers at North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Department of Health. The program relies on the idea of creating a structure that will help participants change the behavior that caused them to gain weight or prevent weight loss.
Yai Evgeniya