A fully asynchronous 6-week web-based DASH diet plus mindful eating program (Mind Your Heart) and its research procedures were feasible among working adults at elevated cardiovascular risk, and preliminary changes in eating behaviors suggest mindful eating warrants further evaluation, though findings should be interpreted cautiously given the small sample and feasibility design.
The study sample was predominantly female, White, and had obesity-range mean BMI.
The intervention showed high engagement with the curriculum among participants who remained enrolled.
Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) prompts and postintervention assessments were largely completed.
No adverse events were reported or observed.
There were no significant between-group differences in DASH adherence, anthropometrics, blood pressure, or cardiometabolic biomarkers.
MYH participants showed greater improvement in TFEQ-cognitive restraint than Diet Only participants.
MYH participants showed greater improvement in REBS-controlled regulation than Diet Only participants.
The authors conclude the intervention and research procedures were feasible and that mindful eating warrants further evaluation in larger trials.
This small pilot study tested whether a six-week, self-paced online program teaching the DASH diet (a heart-healthy eating pattern) could work for university employees at elevated risk of heart disease. Thirty-seven people were randomly assigned either to diet education alone or to the same education plus mindful eating lessons, guided practice, and goal setting. Neither program included coaching. Most participants stayed engaged: on average they completed about 86% of the lessons, and most responded to at least half of the brief check-in prompts sent during the program. No adverse events were reported. After six weeks, the two groups did not differ significantly in how closely they followed the DASH diet, body measurements, blood pressure, or blood markers. However, the group that also received mindful eating training showed greater improvements in two eating-behavior measures: cognitive restraint (conscious control over eating) and controlled regulation (motivation for regulated eating). This research suggests that a fully online mindful eating and DASH program is practical for working adults and may shift how people approach eating. Because the study was small, mostly female and White, and not designed to detect health effects, these findings are preliminary. Larger trials are needed to see whether such programs improve diet quality and heart health.
Reina A, Padilla H, Beer J, Zhang D, Renzi-Hammond L. (2026). Mind Your Heart-A Web-Based Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet and Mindful Eating Intervention for Working Adults at Elevated Cardiovascular Risk: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.. JMIR formative research. https://doi.org/10.2196/106388