None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Food cravings frequently lead to consumption of the craved food (Hill & Heaton-Brown, 1994), are positively correlated with BMI (Delahanty, Meigs, Hayden, Williamson, & Nathan, 2002; Franken & Muris, 2005) and obese adults report preferences for high fat foods (Drewnowski et al., 1985), therefore addressing these cravings in treatment is paramount. This study will examine treatment of food cravings in overweight or obese adults. Food craving is hypothesised to be an important intervening causal variable in the development of obesity. Research examining meridian-based procedures (e.g. Emotional Freedom Techniques, EFT) for food cravings has recently found significant improvements occurred in weight, body mass index, food cravings, subjective power of food, craving restraint and psychological coping for participants from pre- to 12-months after a 4-week treatment (p<0.05). This randomised clinical trial intends to extend this work and compare EFT treatment for food cravings, with a gold standard treatment strategy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), in addition to a control group.
Interventions
1. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) - meridian-based procedure which combines cognitive strategies with somatic procedures adapted from acupuncture and related systems for altering the cognitive, behavioural, and neurochemical foundations of psychological problems. It is often referred to as “psychological acupuncture” and aims to incorporate this principle of acupuncture into psychotherapeutic settings. The premise behind Thought Field Therapy (TFT) and EFT suggests that negative emotions in
1. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) - meridian-based procedure which combines cognitive strategies with somatic procedures adapted from acupuncture and related systems for altering the cognitive, behavioural, and neurochemical foundations of psychological problems. It is often referred to as “psychological acupuncture” and aims to incorporate this principle of acupuncture into psychotherapeutic settings. The premise behind Thought Field Therapy (TFT) and EFT suggests that negative emotions in the body are caused by a disturbance in the body’s energy field (or meridian system). The action of stimulating acupressure points on the body (through a tapping process) while focusing the mind on the negative emotion is thought to restore the balance in the body (Craig, 2008). This act then eliminates negative emotions. Feinstein (2008) has proposed the arousal of the amygdala and other brain structures in the stress response are desensitised using EFT, where other theories highlight connective tissue transmission of piezoelectric signals (Oschman, 2006), neurotransmitter ratio alterations (dopamine and serotonin, Feinstein et al., 2005), and increased HPA axis regulation and a reduction of the stress hormone cortisol (Church, 2008). The EFT Intervention group will receive 8 x 2 hour sessions, which will be held over 8 weeks. Treatment will be delivered in groups of 15 participants and will be demonstrated by a qualified therapist, who will instruct participants to self administer the technique.
Sponsors
Bond University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 100 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Both genders, must be overweight (i.e. Body Mass Index; BMI; between 25-29) or obese (BMI greater than 30), between18 years old and 100 years, not suffering any severe psychological impairment, not currently receiving treatment (psychological or medical) for their food cravings
Exclusion criteria
Participants who are pregnant, and known sufferers of diabetes (Type I and II) and hypoglycemia which can impact cravings will be excluded; sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa not suitable
Outcome results
None listed