Transitioning through menopause can be challenging for women, impacting their emotional well-being and cardiovascular health.
A recent pilot study explored a unique way to support overweight, postmenopausal women during this phase using a combined approach of nutrition education and creative arts therapies like art therapy and dance/movement therapy.
Let's find out what they've discovered.
A surprising experiment
The study checked if a combined approach of nutrition education and creative arts therapies could help with heart health and well-being.
The approach led to noticeable improvements in participants' quality of life, self-confidence, stress levels, anxiety, and body image. It also resulted in lower body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure.
The 16-week online program, named I2CAN, had sessions run by a nutritionist and two creative arts therapists.
Participants took part in sessions that alternated between nutrition education and creative arts therapies.
They covered topics like making healthy food choices, managing portion sizes, handling emotions, and dealing with stress.
Why it might be important
The experiment, although conducted with a small group, suggests that a multimodal intervention incorporating education and creative components can benefit the physiological and psychosocial well-being of postmenopausal ladies with elevated BMI and cardiovascular risk.
The researchers are planning a larger, randomized control trial to further explore the impact of this integrative approach compared to nutrition education alone, starting in January 2024.
Previously, we talked about people's sensitivity to rewards.
