Tricia M Leahey1, Amy A Gorin2, Emily Wyckoff2, Zeely Denmat3, Kayla O'Connor3, Christiana Field3, Genevieve F Dunton4, John Gunstad5, Tania B Huedo-Medina6, Carnisha Gilder6. 1. Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy, Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut. 2. Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy, Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut. 3. Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy, University of Connecticut. 4. Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California. 5. Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University. 6. Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy, and Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:Weight loss maintenance (WLM) is the next major challenge in obesity treatment. While most individuals who lose weight intend to keep their weight off, weight regain is common. Temporal Self-Regulation Theory posits that whether intentions lead to behavior depends on self-regulatory capacity, including delay discounting (DD; the tendency to discount a larger future reward in favor of a smaller immediate reward). Episodic Future Thinking (EFT; mental imagery of a future event for which a health goal is important) may improve DD and promote behavior change. Described herein is a trial protocol designed to examine whether EFT improves DD within the context of weight loss maintenance. METHOD: Participants who lose ≥5% of initial body weight in an online behavioral weight loss intervention will be randomly assigned to a standard weight loss maintenance program (WLM-STD) or a weight loss maintenance program plus EFT (WLM + EFT). Both interventions involve periodic phone and in-person treatment sessions. Participants in WLM + EFT will engage in daily EFT training via smartphone. To control for contact, participants in WLM-STD will engage in daily Healthy Thinking (reviewing strategies for weight management) on their smartphone. Our primary hypothesis is that WLM + EFT will yield better improvements in DD compared to WLM-STD. We will also explore whether DD mediates the relationship between intervention allocation and physical activity (secondary outcome). Weight and contextual variables will be explored. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to test whether EFT improves DD within the context of weight loss maintenance; results from this experimental medicine approach could have important implications for understanding the impact of both EFT and DD on sustained behavior change. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVES:Weight loss maintenance (WLM) is the next major challenge in obesity treatment. While most individuals who lose weight intend to keep their weight off, weight regain is common. Temporal Self-Regulation Theory posits that whether intentions lead to behavior depends on self-regulatory capacity, including delay discounting (DD; the tendency to discount a larger future reward in favor of a smaller immediate reward). Episodic Future Thinking (EFT; mental imagery of a future event for which a health goal is important) may improve DD and promote behavior change. Described herein is a trial protocol designed to examine whether EFT improves DD within the context of weight loss maintenance. METHOD:Participants who lose ≥5% of initial body weight in an online behavioral weight loss intervention will be randomly assigned to a standard weight loss maintenance program (WLM-STD) or a weight loss maintenance program plus EFT (WLM + EFT). Both interventions involve periodic phone and in-person treatment sessions. Participants in WLM + EFT will engage in daily EFT training via smartphone. To control for contact, participants in WLM-STD will engage in daily Healthy Thinking (reviewing strategies for weight management) on their smartphone. Our primary hypothesis is that WLM + EFT will yield better improvements in DD compared to WLM-STD. We will also explore whether DD mediates the relationship between intervention allocation and physical activity (secondary outcome). Weight and contextual variables will be explored. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to test whether EFT improves DD within the context of weight loss maintenance; results from this experimental medicine approach could have important implications for understanding the impact of both EFT and DD on sustained behavior change. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Authors: Paul S MacLean; Rena R Wing; Terry Davidson; Leonard Epstein; Bret Goodpaster; Kevin D Hall; Barry E Levin; Michael G Perri; Barbara J Rolls; Michael Rosenbaum; Alexander J Rothman; Donna Ryan Journal: Obesity (Silver Spring) Date: 2014-12-02 Impact factor: 5.002
Authors: Sean P Mullen; Erin A Olson; Siobhan M Phillips; Amanda N Szabo; Thomas R Wójcicki; Emily L Mailey; Neha P Gothe; Jason T Fanning; Arthur F Kramer; Edward McAuley Journal: Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act Date: 2011-09-27 Impact factor: 6.457
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