The Effect of a Mindful Restaurant Eating Intervention on Weight Management in Women

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of a Mindful Restaurant Eating intervention on weight management.DesignRandomized control trial.SettingGreater metropolitan area of Austin, Texas.ParticipantsWomen (n = 35) 40-59 years old who eat out at least 3 times per week.InterventionThe intervention, using 6 weekly 2-hour, small group sessions, focused on reducing calorie and fat intake when eating out through education, behavior change strategies, and mindful eating meditations.Main Outcome MeasuresWeight, waist circumference, self-reported daily calorie and fat intake, self-reported calories and fat consumed when eating out, emotional eating, diet related self-efficacy, and barriers to weight management when eating out.AnalysisGeneral linear models examined change from baseline to final endpoint to determine differences in outcomes between the intervention and control group.ResultsParticipants in the intervention group lost significantly more weight (P =.03), had lower average daily caloric (P = .002) and fat intake (P = .001), had increased diet-related self-efficacy (P = .02), and had fewer barriers to weight management when eating out (P = .001).Conclusions and ImplicationsMindful Restaurant Eating intervention was effective in promoting weight management in perimenopausal women.