CAIM Lifestyle and Body Weight Status: Mind-Body Practices Correlate with Optimal BMI Levels
Practitioners of mind-body practices such as Yoga, Meditation, Tai Chi Ch’uan, Qigong, and others tend to have more optimal body weight according to a large European study of 61,704 persons (Camilleri et al., 2016). Mind-body practices—sometimes referred here to bodymind techniques or body-mind-spirit treatment protocols—aim at balancing emotional states, relieving physical and mental stress, and modifying negative thought patterns. They are part of Complementary, Alternative, Integrative Medicine which includes about 291 bodywork disciplines and 125 somatopsychic therapeutic modalities (Allison, 1999; Jones, 2016; Stillerman, 1996). The NutriNet-Santé Study was launched in France in 2009 and gathered web-based observational reports from subjects 18 and older regarding diet, physical activity, body shape, lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and health status and lasted several years. About 27 percent of the participants practiced one or more mind-body techniques in the recent past with 13 percent currently practicing some form. Meditation and yoga were the most popular. It was found that mind-body practitioners were less likely to be overweight and far less likely to be obese as compared to non-practitioners.
Closing Thoughts
This is a great study given such a large subject pool, but even then, it must always be remembered that correlation is not causation, yet the variables of bodymind practice and healthy body weight do go together. How they go together remains an open question and so further research is needed. My own speculation is that those who practice body and mind disciplines tend to be more health and body conscious than the average person. Part of this, I think, is that many CAIM practices emphasize physical activity or heightened body awareness which leads to more physical activity. In any event, it’s very positive news and one worth considering.
Paul Shane, Ph.D., LMT
Director, Academic Content
References
Allison, N. (Ed.) (1999). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Body-Mind Disciplines. New York, NY: The Rosen Publishing Group.
Camilleri, G., Méjean, C., Fellisle, F., Hercberg, S., & Péneau, S. (2016). Mind-body practice and body weight status in a large population-based sample of adults. American Journal of Preventative Medicine 50(4), p. e101-e109.
Jones, K. (Ed.) (2016). Complementary and Alternative Medicine Sourcebook. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics.
Stillerman, E. (1996). The Encyclopedia of Bodywork: From Acupressure to Zone Therapy New York, NY: Facts on File, Inc.
Revised on 05-06-24.