Parents who are worried that their children may be dangerously overweight might want to consider mindfulness training courses, following research revealing that mindfulness could prove to be beneficial in encouraging weight loss and healthy eating in children.

Conducted by the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the study found that the brains of youngsters who are obese operate differently from those of a healthy weight. It may not be possible for diet and exercise to restore normal weight or prevent obesity in kids and it may be necessary for their brain function to be changed.

In the US, childhood obesity has almost doubled in the last 30 years, tripling among adolescents. As of 2010, one-third of children in the US were thought to be obese or overweight.

Dr Ronald Cowan, co-author of the Vanderbilt study, said: “We think mindfulness could recalibrate the imbalance in the brain connections associated with childhood obesity. Mindfulness has produced mixed results in adults. So far there have been few studies showing its effectiveness for weight loss in children.”

Mindfulness techniques could be used to help reduce impulsivity in children and encourage healthier responses to everyday setbacks and problems.

To find out more about how mindfulness courses and training could help you or your children, either with obesity or other problems like anxiety, stress or depression, get in touch with us here at Excellence Assured. You’ll learn all you need to know about the practice of mindfulness and how it can give you all the necessary tools you need to make some seriously positive life changes this year.