The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Training on Adherence to Medication and Proper Food Consumption in Patients with Diabetes Type 2

Objective: Diabetes is one of the most important metabolic diseases worldwide and has a worrying prevalence. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on adherence to medication and appropriate food consumption in patients with diabetes type 2. Method: The research design was quasi-experimental with pre-test-post-test and control groups. The statistical population of this study consisted of all patients with diabetes admitted to the Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases Clinic in Tehran. The sample size was 30 who were divided into two Experimental (n=15) and control groups (n=15). Kelly Hayes (1994) and the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) were provided to both groups as research instruments. The control group stayed on the waiting list and the mindfulness intervention training was performed for the experimental group in eight 90-minutes sessions. The research data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and repeated measures analysis of variance.  Results: The results showed that mindfulness-based stress reduction training has significantly increased adherence to treatment and proper food consumption in patients with diabetes type 2 (p 0.05), and this increase has remained constant over time. Conclusion: In order to adhere to the treatment and proper nutrition of patients with type 2 diabetes, stress-based mindfulness training can be used.