• Lauren B Shomaker, Zoe Berman, Morgan Burke, Shelly K Annameier, Bernadette Pivarunas, Natalia Sanchez, Amy D Smith, Silas Hendrich, Nathaniel R Riggs, Kristina T Legget, Marc-Andre Cornier, Christopher Melby, Sarah A Johnson, and Rachel Lucas-Thompson.
• Human Development & Family Studies, Colorado State University, 1570 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, United States; Community & Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, 13001 E. 17th Pl, Aurora, CO, 80045, United States. Electronic address: lauren.shomaker@colostate.edu.
• Appetite. 2019 Sep 1; 140: 213-222.

ObjectivesTo assess feasibility/acceptability of a mindfulness-based approach to excess weight prevention in adolescents at-risk for excess weight gain. To pilot test efficacy of a mindfulness-based intervention for improving food reward sensitivity, stress-eating, executive function (EF), and BMI/adiposity.MethodsA pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted with 12-17y adolescents at-risk for excess weight gain based on above-average weight (body mass index [BMI]≥70%ile) or parental history of obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m2). Adolescents were randomized to a mindfulness-based (n = 29) or health education control group (n = 25) that met for six weekly one-hour sessions. Feasibility/acceptability were determined from attendance and acceptability survey ratings. At baseline, six-week and six-month follow-up, adolescents' perceived stress was measured with the Perceived Stress Scale, food reward sensitivity with a behavioral task, stress-eating during a laboratory test meal, and EF with the parent-reported Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function and NIH Toolbox. At the same intervals, BMI indices and body fat by air displacement plethysmography were assessed in a fasted state.ResultsMedian session attendance was 6:6 sessions in both conditions; program acceptability ratings were above-average. Compared to health education, adolescents in mindfulness had lower food reward sensitivity at six-months (Cohen's d = 0.64, p = .01). There were no between-condition differences in BMI (mindfulness vs. health educationΔsix-months 95%CI 0.20, 1.52 kg/m2 vs. 0.21, 1.62 kg/m2) or adiposity (-3.64, -0.61% vs. -4.31, -1.04%) changes.ConclusionsA mindfulness-based group intervention is feasible/acceptable among adolescents at-risk for excess weight. In this pilot sample, mindfulness and health education were equivocal for BMI/adiposity outcomes. Future trials with a larger, adequately-powered sample and longer-term follow-up are necessary to test efficacy of a mindfulness-based intervention for food reward sensitivity, stress-eating, EF, and stabilizing growth trajectories in youth at-risk for adult obesity.Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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