Slimming down in a "mindful" manner.

• Position: YOUR LIFE

If dieting is on your New Year's resolution agenda, it might pay to be mindful of a study suggesting there is little hard evidence that mindfulness leads to weight loss. Researchers at Ohio State University, Columbus, reviewed 19 previous studies on the effectiveness of mindfulness-based programs for weight loss. Thirteen of the studies documented weight loss among participants who practiced mindfulness, but all lacked either a measure of the change in mindfulness or a statistical analysis of the relationship between being mindful and dropping pounds. In many cases, the studies lacked both.

The single study that did quantify simultaneous weight reductions and increases in mindfulness showed no relationship between the two. Another study that documented participants' increase in mindfulness indicated that the intervention did not affect weight loss. 'There is an aura around mindfulness intervention in weight loss and yet we need to know, in this era of evidence-based medicine, what the data tell us," explains Charles Emery, professor of psychology and senior author of the study.

"There are many reasons to think mindfulness would be relevant for weight loss because people may have a range of behavioral and psychological responses to eating that mindfulness can address, including helping them slow down and focus on enjoying a meal, but our review of the research shows we still have a long way to go to provide convincing evidence of the benefits of mindfulness for weight loss and, especially, how...