Obesity has reached epidemic levels on a global scale in recent decades. As indicated by the World Health Organization (WHO), weight disorders have almost tripled from 1975 to the present. This translates to approximately 1.9 billion adults (or more) being overweight worldwide right now, or 39% of the total population.
Obesity is not only an aesthetic characteristic that is usually not very “normative”, but it also translates into a greater risk of suffering from ischemic heart disease, accelerated cellular aging, an increased probability of the appearance of cancer in the colon and rectum, a greater probability of depression (up to 55% more) and many other pathologies, both physical and emotional.
For all these reasons and many more, it is normal for people to want to lose weight. In any case, various sources estimate that only 2 out of every 10 people who start a diet lose weight significantly: these types of processes require knowledge, education, supervision, mental health and in many cases purchasing power, something that not everyone have. In order to overcome obesity, extensive psychological treatment is necessary, so not everything is as easy as “eat less” or “exercise more.”
Based on this premise, more and more alternative methods are emerging that try to combat overweight and obesity without having to undergo surgery. Today we take one of the most emerging and committed to examination: Does hypnosis work to lose weight?
The term hypnosis is used to define an altered state of consciousness and the process by which this event is achieved in the patient. During the hypnotic trance, certain psychoaffective, physiological, cognitive and behavioral processes can be addressed and modified. Furthermore, it should be noted that the hypnotic state can be promoted by a professional (therapist) or by the individual themselves (self-hypnosis).
The subjective experimentation of hypnosis is characterized by two different fronts: authenticity (the experience is real) and involuntariness (“it happens by itself”). Once the patient enters a hypnotic state, verbal and non-verbal suggestive content is used that corresponds to internal expectations and has powerful effects on the mentality and somatic processes in the individual.
Contrary to what is usually thought, Hypnosis is neither authoritarian nor passive, nor is it about the therapist controlling or manipulating the patient. This is conceived only as a resource and tool used for the individual to control his emotions, learn more about himself and obtain his goals, not for an external entity to achieve something for him. Today, hypnosis from a clinical point of view is very far from what we are shown in the movies.
Does hypnosis help to lose weight?
In the medical and research field, conjectures are left at the door. We could lengthen the lines of space by saying that “it may work for you and not for someone else,” but we would be missing the truth, since we need reliable facts to support each approach, especially when it comes to individual health.
The good thing about the world of research and statistics is that, luckily, the numbers don’t lie. The fact that there is a correlation between 2 events (measured with objective parameters such as the P-value) does not always indicate reality, but it certainly points us in the right direction, unless the experiment is a real disaster.
Therefore, we are going to expose you the summary of 3 different scientific publications that try to answer this question. Let science speak for itself.
1. Compared the influence of hypnosis on body mass
In this study called “Controlled trial of hypnotherapy for weight loss in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea”, published in the International Journal of Obesity in 1998, aims to evaluate the effects of 2 types of hypnosis compared to dietary monitoring in 60 patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
Weight loss was monitored in the sample groups at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months after treatment, regardless of whether patients were treated with hypnotherapy or with dietary monitoring/advice. It was observed that, after 3 months, all sample groups had lost 2-3% of their body mass, an indication that something was working.
18 months after treatment, Only the hypnotherapy group showed a significant average weight loss compared to the rest of the patients, although this was very small , 3.8 kilograms. Analyzing the entire time interval, it was observed that the group with hypnotherapy and dietary monitoring achieved greater weight loss than the other remaining segments, so a spear is split in favor of this technique, right?
Not at all. The problem with this research (recognized by the authors themselves) is that The benefits of hypnotherapy, although numerically significant, were clinically insignificant. Furthermore, a sample number of 60 provides very little information, since studies with much more statistical power are required to establish strong causality.
2. Analyzing physiological markers
This study called “Effects of Hypnotherapy on Weight Loss and thus on Serum Leptin, Adiponectin, and Irisin Levels in Obese Patients” is much more current, as it was published in 2020 in the Journal of alternative and complementary medicine. On this occasion, An attempt was made to investigate the effect of hypnosis to lose weight in obese patients using physiological markers. such as leptin, adiponectin and irisin, hormones and compounds highly related to adipose tissue.
Following the parameters of 30 obese patients, it was observed that Body Mass Index (BMI) and serum leptin levels decreased significantly after treatment. Irisin and adiponectin levels increased after the approach, something to be expected, since the concentration of the latter hormone is inversely proportional to BMI, as it is secreted in adipose tissue. Once again, this study breaks a spear in favor of hypnosis.
3. An overview of various studies on hypnotherapy
Another paper called “Hypnotherapy for overweight and obese patients: A narrative review”, published in January 2021 in the Journal of Integrative Medicine, is undoubtedly the most interesting of the three. In this case, a sample group is not analyzed, but rather the results of 119 different studies are collected, of which only 7 meet the necessary inclusion criteria. In the end, Data were obtained from 539 patients between 17 and 67 years of age, a much larger and more reliable sample group. than those shown so far.
The studies analyzed concluded that hypnosis promoted weight loss, not only during treatment, but in subsequent periods. In any case, we find ourselves with the same problem as before: many of these investigations have methodological flaws and the number of available publications is very limited. For this reason, the authors themselves recognize that it is necessary to carry out more properly founded studies to be able to safely apply hypnosis methods to lose weight.
A final thought
The numbers don’t lie, as long as they are well presented and the methodology is reliable. A study with a sample group of 60 patients says little or nothing, even more so if the average weight lost in those undergoing hypnotherapy is only 3.8 kilos higher than in the rest of the individuals. It is clear that the authors may try to color these data as discovery, but fortunately, any subsequent review worth its salt will treat these claims with a high degree of skepticism, as we have seen.
As indicated by the Mayo Clinic, a government medical body, many of the results of these studies have been scrutinized and have not passed the test of reliability, making it very difficult to link hypnosis to weight loss in any way. effective and irrefutable. Obesity is combated with therapeutic care, exercise and emotional support and, if all this fails, stomach reduction surgery is usually necessary.
So, does hypnosis work to lose weight? Unfortunately, we cannot give you a definitive answer, as at this point we have the same data as you. There are sources that will tell you yes and others that will not, so the best thing you can do is put yourself in the hands of a nutritionist and/or psychiatrist, so that together you can address your problem in a multidisciplinary way, in the way that professionals consider best. appropriate.
