title: A pilot study of a single-session training to promote mindful eating.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although researchers have not yet examined the applicability of mindfulness for weight-gain prevention, mindfulness training has the potential to increase an individual's awareness of factors that enable an individual to avoid weight gain caused by overconsumption.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study intended to examine the effects of 1 h of mindfulness training on state mindfulness and food consumption.
  
  
  METHODS
  The research team performed a pilot study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study occurred at an urban, northeastern, Catholic university.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 26 undergraduate, English-speaking students who were at least 18 y old (77% female, 73% Caucasian). Students with food allergies, an inability to fast, or a current or past diagnosis of an eating disorder were ineligible.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants fasted for 4 h. Between the third and fourth hours, they attended a 1-h session of mindfulness training that integrated three experiential mindfulness exercises with group discussion. Following training, they applied the skills they learned during a silent lunch.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS), the Awareness subscale of the Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale (PHLMS-AW), and a modified version of the Acting with Awareness subscale of the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-AW) were used preand posttraining to assess changes in state mindfulness, present-moment awareness, and mealtime awareness, respectively. A postmeal, subjective hunger/fullness Likert scale was used to assess food consumption (healthy vs unhealthy consumption).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study found a statistically significant increase in state mindfulness (P=.002). Eighty-six percent of participants engaged in healthy food consumption. No statistically significant changes occurred in either present-moment awareness (P=.617) or mealtime awareness (P=.483).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preliminary results suggest promising benefits for use of mindfulness training on weight-gain prevention in healthy individuals. More research is needed to understand the impact that mindfulness may have on long-term, weight-gain prevention.
authors.forename: Jayme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: LeeAnn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cardaciotto
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Block-Lerner
authors.forename: Cori
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McMahon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001364:Awareness; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires