Dietary Restraint
Conditions
Keywords
Weight Control Beliefs, Dieters, Nutrition Counselling, Weight Science, Psychotherapeutic Interventions, Brief Intervention, Dietary Restraint
Brief summary
People who diet typically believe they can control their weight. People who believe they should control their weight are more likely to have poor body image, low self-esteem and disordered eating. People who believe they should aim for a healthy lifestyle and accept their natural weight have better body image, better self-esteem and less disordered eating. This study will compare three types of education in undergraduate dieters. In the first, the investigators will teach how the body naturally controls weight. In the second, the investigators will teach about healthy eating. In the third, the investigators will teach about how the body naturally controls weight and healthy eating. The study is testing whether teaching about how the body naturally controls weight and healthy eating changes people's beliefs about weight. The study also tests whether changing people's beliefs about weight will change their body satisfaction, their feelings about themselves, and their intention to diet.
Interventions
OTHERWeight Science Education
The weight science educational video discusses the research on the genetic contribution to body weight; the role of genetics in how individuals' body weight responds to over-eating; the research comparing the efficacy of different dieting approaches; the research on the long-term efficacy of behavioural approaches to weight loss; weight loss in obesity; research on the weight-loss registry looking at successful weight losers; and research on weight control beliefs. The video is narrated by Dr. Michele Laliberte, a licensed clinical psychologist, and the information is consistent with current research and recommendations. There is no deception involved and it is made clear to participants that the information they are being provided is based on current research and the purpose is to understand the impact of this information on their attitudes and beliefs.
OTHERNutrition Education
The healthy nutrition educational video discusses the development of food guides around the world; a definition and description of benefits of the "basics" of healthy eating (e.g., regular eating, balanced eating and pleasurable eating); a review of the macronutrients and their importance to health; a review of the recommendations concerning the specific food groups in the Canada's food guide; and how to put this all together to create a healthy eating plan. The video is narrated by Dr. Michele Laliberte, a licensed clinical psychologist, and the information is consistent with current research and recommendations. There is no deception involved and it is made clear to participants that the information they are being provided is based on current research and the purpose is to understand the impact of this information on their attitudes and beliefs.
OTHERSleep Education
The sleep hygiene educational video, which is an active control, reviews the cognitive, emotional, physical health and weight implications of good quality sleep; provides a review of good sleep hygiene; and provides an overview of how to manage insomnia. The video is narrated by Dr. Michele Laliberte, a licensed clinical psychologist, and the information is consistent with current research and recommendations. There is no deception involved and it is made clear to participants that the information they are being provided is based on current research and the purpose is to understand the impact of this information on their attitudes and beliefs.
Sponsors
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Intervention model description
This is an experimental study in which participants will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions: 1) weight science + control (sleep education); 2) control (sleep education) + healthy eating education; or 3) weight science + healthy eating education. The control component (sleep education) is the same in both Group 1 and Group 2 and is intended to serve as a pure placebo, not expected to influence the study's primary outcomes.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Undergraduate students at McMaster University * Individuals who are restricting their eating to try and lose weight. * Self-identified women * Ages 18 or over * Normal (or corrected to normal) hearing * Normal (or corrected to normal) vision
Exclusion criteria
\- Self-identified men
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in beliefs on the ability to control one's weight (weight control beliefs). | From baseline measure to the end of the intervention at approximately one hour. | Decreased score on the Weight Control Beliefs questionnaire post-intervention compared to pre-intervention questionnaire score, where a total score of 17 is equivalent to beliefs that weight is not entirely under personal control and a total score of 68 indicates beliefs that weight is entirely under personal control. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in restrained eating | From baseline measure to the end of the intervention at approximately one hour. | Decreased score on the cognitive restraint subscale of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire Revised-18 (TFEQ-R18) post-intervention compared to pre-intervention questionnaire score. A cognitive restraint score of 24 is equivalent to high dietary restraint, and a cognitive restraint score of 6 indicates low dietary restraint. |
| Change in the intent to diet | From baseline measure to the end of the intervention at approximately one hour. | Decreased mean score on the Dieting Intentions Scale (DIS) post-intervention compared to pre-intervention questionnaire score. A mean score of 7 is equivalent to a strong intent to diet, and a mean score of 1 indicates a low intent to diet. |
| Change in self-esteem | From baseline measure to the end of the intervention at approximately one hour. | Increased score on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale (RSE) post-intervention compared to pre-intervention questionnaire score. A total score of 0 is equivalent to low self-esteem, and a total score of 30 indicates a high self-esteem. |
| Change in body appreciation | From baseline measure to the end of the intervention at approximately one hour. | Increased score on the Body Appreciation Scale (BAS) post-intervention compared to pre-intervention questionnaire score. A score of 10 is equivalent to low body appreciation, and a score of 50 indicates high body appreciation. |
Countries
Canada
Contacts
CONTACTKeisha Gobin, Ph.D., C.Psych
CONTACTMindy Tat, BSc
Outcome results
None listed