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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT03707197

Guided Meditation and Stress-Induced Eating

The aim of this study is to test the effects of a digital meditation intervention in a sample of UCLA employees who report mild to moderate stress. We will randomize University of California Los Angeles employees to either 8-weeks of a digital meditation intervention (using the commercially available application Headspace) or a waitlist control condition.

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Key information

Conditions

Stress-induced Eating

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of California, Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California, 90024, United States

About this study

The aim of this study is to test the effects of a digital meditation intervention in a sample of UCLA employees who report mild to moderate stress. UCLA employees will be randomized to either 8-weeks of a digital meditation intervention (using the commercially available application Headspace) or a waitlist control condition.

Participants who are assigned to the intervention group will be asked to download and use the Headspace mobile application for at least 10 minutes per day for 8 weeks. All participants will be asked to fill out short (no longer than 25 minutes) questionnaires at baseline, week 4, week 8 (post intervention), and a 4-month follow up period. Among participants who are randomized to the digital meditation intervention, they will also take part in a 1-year follow up. All activities will take place online (via computer or smartphone).

Prior to randomization, participants will complete an eligibility screening and complete the baseline questionnaire battery. The entirety of the study is digital and there are no in-person assessments. Adherence will be tracked remotely. The goal is to recruit as many as 1000 participants (500 per condition).

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Have access to a smartphone or computer everyday
  • Are fluent in English
  • Are a University of California, Los Angeles employee
  • Report mild to moderate levels of stress
  • Consent: demonstrate understanding of the study and willingness to participate as evidenced by voluntary informed consent and has received a signed and dated copy of the informed consent
  • Are at least 18 years of age

Exclusion criteria

  • You may not join if you are an experienced meditator or have participated in a formal meditation practice in the last 6 months (defined as once or more per week for a duration of 20 minutes or more at each practice)

Treatment and study plan

Meditation

Behavioral

Ten minutes of meditation per day for 8 weeks using a mobile application

Primary outcomes

  1. Reductions in perceived stress as measured by the Perceived Stress Scale

    Time frame: Baseline to post-intervention (8 weeks from baseline)

    Changes in the Perceived Stress Scale (range: 1-40; Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelstein, 1988). Higher scores indicate greater psychological distress.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Reductions in stress-induced eating as measured by the Palatable Eating Motives Scale

    Time frame: Baseline to post-intervention (8 weeks from baseline)

    Changes self-reporting using highly palatable foods to cope with stress, according to the Palatable Eating Motives Scale Coping subscale (range: 1-20) Burgess, Turan, Lokken, Morse, & Boggiano, 2014). Higher scores indicate a higher likelihood of using palatable foods to cope with stress.

  2. Reductions in reward-based eating as measured by the Reward-based Eating Drive

    Time frame: Baseline to post-intervention (8 weeks from baseline)

    Changes in self-reporting intrinsic rewards from consuming highly palatable foods, according to the Reward-based Eating Drive (RED) Scale (range: 1-45; Epel, et al. 2014). Higher scores indicate a greater reward response from consuming palatable foods.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of California, Los Angeles

Other

Collaborators

  • Headspace Meditation Limited
  • The University of California's Healthy Campus Network

Registry information

Official study title

The Impact of 8 Weeks of a Digital Meditation Application on Stress-Induced Eating

Important dates

Study start
2018
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2020
First posted
Oct 16, 2018
Registry last updated
Nov 9, 2020

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.