Meditation-Based Treatment for Binge Eating Disorder

NCT ID: NCT00032760

Last Updated: 2007-10-02

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: PHASE2/PHASE3
• Total Enrollment: 160 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2002-03-31
• Study Completion Date: 2004-03-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to assess the relative effectiveness of a mindfulness meditation-based intervention for binge eating disorder in comparison to a psycho-educational intervention and a waiting-list control group.

Detailed Description

As many as 30% of individuals seeking treatment for obesity meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria for binge eating disorder (BED). BED is marked by recurrent episodes of bingeing, accompanied by feelings of loss of control, and involves chronic disregulation of physiological, emotional and behavioral systems. Meditation-based interventions have been used successfully to treat disorders with similar addictive and disregulatory characteristics, but have not been applied to treating BED. Data from an uncontrolled pilot study suggests that such an intervention can have marked immediate impact on decreasing episodes of binge eating and other associated characteristics in obese women. Therefore, this study incorporates appropriate comparison conditions to further investigate the efficacy of a mindfulness meditation-based intervention as a treatment component for treating BED symptoms. Exploratory aspects include further development of a manual, establishment of effect size (in comparison to appropriate comparison groups), inclusion of a more diverse population, and of measures that address: 1) individual differences in treatment response, 2) possible mechanisms, 3) time course of response, and 3) impact on medical/health variables.

Women from two communities will be randomly assigned to 3 conditions: 1) an 8-week manualized meditation-based group intervention, 2) a psychoeducational comparison condition, or 3) a waiting-list control. Primary outcome variables will be changes in binge eating behaviors, and associated measures of depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and diet; secondary variables include medical variables sensitive to dietary change (i.e., weight; blood pressure; lipid profile; blood glucose levels), and process variables related to meditation practice, such as the Tellegen Absorption Scale, perceived value and use of the meditation practice, and experiences of increased control and awareness. Participants will be evaluated pre- and post-treatment, and at 1, 3, and 6 months followup. This data would then support the further investigation of a meditation-based intervention as part of a more comprehensive treatment program for BED.

Conditions

Binge Eating Disorder; Obesity

Keywords

binge eating disorder; human therapy evaluation; meditation; obesity; nutrition education; psychotherapy; racial /ethnic difference; adult human; alternative medicine; patient oriented research

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Interventions

Meditation

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Clinical diagnosis of binge eating disorder;
• BMI at least 30;
• Fluent English speaker/reader;
• Able and willing to attend 9 weekly group sessions over two months, plus followup for 6 months, either in geographic area of Terre Haute, Indiana, or Durham, North Carolina.

Exclusion Criteria

• Psychiatric or other condition that would preclude appropriate group participation;
• On a structured diet program;
• Unstable related medical syndrome (e.g., diabetes, hypertension);
• Medication that affects weight or appetite that is still being adjusted or that is likely to change during the course of the study.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

NIH

Sponsor Role: lead

Principal Investigators

Jean L. Kristeller, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Indiana State University

Ruth Quillian-Wolever, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Duke University Department of Psychiatry/Center for Integrated Medicine

Locations

Indiana State University

Terre Haute, Indiana, United States

Duke Center for Integrative Medicine

Durham, North Carolina, United States

Countries

United States

References

Kristeller JL, Hallett CB. An Exploratory Study of a Meditation-based Intervention for Binge Eating Disorder. J Health Psychol. 1999 May;4(3):357-63. doi: 10.1177/135910539900400305.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 22021603 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

R21AT000416-01

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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