Music Listening as a Stress-Reduction Tool for Overweight Individuals: Evidence from a Randomized Trial

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33871/2317417X.2026.23.12074

Keywords:

Music listening, Stress reduction, Overweight, Salivary cortisol, Mixedeffects models

Abstract

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of a single music listening session on stress reduction in overweight individuals (BMI > 24.9 kg/m2). Participants were allocated to an experimental group (music listening, n = 28) or a control group (podcast listening, n = 26). Stress was assessed through salivary cortisol, subjective scales (VAS), and qualitative topic modeling. Data were analyzed using Linear Mixed-Effects Models (LMM) and post-hoc Wilcoxon tests with Bonferroni correction. The experimental group exhibited a highly significant reduction in cortisol (padj < 0.001) with a large effect size (r = 0.59), while the control group’s reduction did not reach statistical significance after adjustment (padj = 0.07, r = 0.37). Responder analysis showed a 92.9% success rate for music versus 80.8% for podcasts (Odds Ratio = 3.03). Subjective and qualitative data revealed a broader spectrum of relaxation and sensory immersion in the experimental group. Music listening is a superior, predictable, and low-cost tool for neuroendocrine stabilization in overweight individuals, outperforming purely narrative stimuli.

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Author Biographies

Isabela Peres Carvalho, Programa de Pós Graduação em Neurociências UFMG

Professor in the Nutrition program at Centro Universitário Una, Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. E-mail: isabela_nutricionista@yahoo.com

Juliana Beaudette Drummond, Federal University of Minas Gerais

Physician in the Endocrinology Department at Hospital das Clínicas - Federal University of
Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. E-mail: jubeaudette@hotmail.com

Antônio Ribeiro-Oliveira Júnior, Federal University of Minas Gerais

Professor in the Postgraduate Program in Neuroscience at the Federal University of Minas
Gerais Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. E-mail: antoniorojr@gmail.com

Frederico Gonçalves Pedrosa, Federal University of Minas Gerais

Adjunct professor in the Music Therapy program at the Federal University of Minas Gerais,
Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. E-mail: fredericopedrosa@ufmg.br

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Published

2026-06-25

How to Cite

Peres Carvalho, I., Beaudette Drummond, J., Ribeiro-Oliveira Júnior, A., & Gonçalves Pedrosa, F. (2026). Music Listening as a Stress-Reduction Tool for Overweight Individuals: Evidence from a Randomized Trial. InCantare Journal, 23, 1–25. https://doi.org/10.33871/2317417X.2026.23.12074

Issue

Vol. 23 (2026): Revista InCantare

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Artigos

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Copyright (c) 2026 Isabela Peres Carvalho, Juliana Beaudette Drummond, Antônio Ribeiro-Oliveira Júnior, Frederico Gonçalves Pedrosa

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