Relevant proportions of the study populations underestimated or overestimated their bodyweight status. Overestimation of personal weight status may lead to unwarranted weight maintenance actions, whereas underestimation may result in lack of motivation to avoid further weight gain.
Background: This study is an application of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) with additional variables to predict the motivations to prevent weight gain. In addition, variations in measures across individuals classified into Precaution Adoption Process stages (PAPM-stages) of behaviour change were investigated.
Objective: A 5-year nationwide mass media campaign aimed at prevention of overweight was organised from 2002 onwards. The present study evaluates the first campaign, which was aimed primarily at increasing awareness of weight gain. Design and subjects: Data were collected by telephone interview in four independent cross-sectional surveys among non-obese Dutch adults aged 25-35 years (total n ¼ 1949) for statistical analyses. Awareness of personal body-weight status, overweight-related risk perceptions, attitudes towards weight-gain prevention, motivation to prevent weight gain and self-reported body mass index (BMI) were measured in each survey. Campaign exposure was assessed in the post-intervention surveys. To identify intervention effects over time multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were used, adjusted for secular time effects and age. Results: After the campaign about 65% of the respondents knew about the campaign. The campaign was associated with more positive attitudes towards the prevention of weight gain (b ¼ 0.16; P , 0.01) and higher self-reported BMI (b ¼ 0.14; P , 0.01). Conclusions:The results suggest that the first campaign reached a large proportion of the population and initiated some positive change in attitudes, but did not achieve significant improvements in other determinants of weight-gain prevention among non-obese young adults.
Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of and differences in self-reported occasions of overeating (such as at celebrations and other parties), compensatory behaviours and specific weight gain prevention strategies among young Dutch adults according to sociodemographics and overweight status. Design and subjects: Cross-sectional data were analysed from Dutch adults aged 20-40 years, recruited from an Internet research panel (n ¼ 857, response rate ¼ 76.6%). Using electronic questionnaires, self-report data were collected on sociodemographics, body mass index (BMI), occasions of overeating, compensatory behaviours, and diet and physical activity used as weight gain prevention strategies. Associations were tested using multiple linear and logistic regression analyses. Results: Of the participants, 48.6% reported occasions of overeating at least once a week during the 4-week period, 44.6% reported compensating for these occasions and 72.9% reported engaging in dietary and physical activities specifically for weight gain prevention purposes. Only 32.1% of the respondents reported using the recommended combination of diet and physical activity as a weight gain prevention strategy. In addition, results showed that overweight people (BMI $25 kg m -2 ) and women were more likely to report overeating than people with healthy body weights (odds ratio (OR) ¼ 1.79; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32 -2.42) and men (OR ¼ 1.50; 95% CI 1.14 -1.97). Overweight people, women and people who regularly reported overeating were also significantly more likely to report compensatory behaviours by eating less and to report specific weight gain prevention strategies using diet and physical activity. Conclusion: The present study suggests that people experience frequent occasions of overeating and try to compensate for such occasions in different ways. However, the combination of dietary changes and physical activity recommended by experts was seldom reported. Keywords Weight gain prevention strategies Overeating Compensatory behavioursBoth diet and physical activity are important for effective weight maintenance 1 . Although earlier studies have shown that high percentages of people are engaged in weight gain preventive action 2 , the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity shows that these are not always effective. This might be explained by the fact that the duration of engagement in weight control behaviours is often very brief and therefore not sufficient to prevent weight change over time, as suggested by a prospective cohort study on the prevalence and duration of specific weight loss strategies 3 . Another explanation might be that people are engaged in non-effective weight gain prevention behaviours. To date, little is known about which dietary and physical activity behaviours people apply to prevent weight gain, since most existing work has focused on weight loss or because more detailed information about such behaviours was not obtained 4 -7 . Exercise and caloric restriction are the two rel...
This review aimed to gain insight in the extent to which psychosocial effects of obesity prevention programmes have been studied, to give an overview of the methods used to measure the particular psychosocial aspects and - if possible - to quantify the effects found. Intervention studies (n = 267) covering the period 1990-October 2005 were derived from seven reviews about childhood obesity interventions. An additional search identified 2754 studies covering the period January 2005-February 2008. In total, 2901 papers (excluding 120 duplicates) were screened for inclusion. Sixty-nine papers covering 53 interventions were included and screened on measuring psychosocial variables. All original authors were contacted. Seven of the selected interventions measured psychosocial variables, five of which evaluated a net intervention effect as compared with a control condition. Only two interventions reported a statistically significant net intervention effect (a decrease in use of purging or diet pills and a decrease in peer ratings of aggression and observed verbal aggression). We conclude that a minority of childhood obesity interventions investigate the effects of their programmes on psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents. It is recommended that in the future, these programmes will be evaluated in a uniform way on a broad range of psychosocial aspects.
WAMMES, BIRGITTE, ANKE OENEMA, AND JOHANNES BRUG. The evaluation of a mass media campaign aimed at weight gain prevention among young Dutch adults. Obesity. 2007;15:2780 -2789. Objective: The objective was to evaluate a 3-year nationwide mass media campaign aimed at preventing weight gain. The campaign was aimed primarily at raising awareness of the importance of weight-gain prevention and bringing these issues to the attention of the Dutch public. Research Methods and Procedures: Eleven serial, independent, cross-sectional, population-based telephone surveys were used to assess campaign awareness and impact (N ranged between 483 and 493 for each of the 11 surveys). The surveys were conducted before and after six campaign waves. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were used to test for trends over time and for differences among the surveys for campaign awareness, message recall, perceived body weight status, overweight-related risk perceptions, attitudes, perceived social support, self-efficacy expectations, and motivations for preventing weight gain. Results: Campaign awareness ranged from 61% after the 1st campaign wave to 88.4% after the final wave. The campaign's television broadcasting activities were an important source of campaign awareness, from both the campaign's television commercials and television-based free publicity. Message recall ranged from 41.9% to 68.1%. Small positive differences were found in attitudes, perceived social support, and intentions for preventing weight gain. Additionally, the results suggest mixed effects on self-efficacy expectations and a negative effect on risk perception. Discussion: The campaign resulted in high campaign awareness, especially as a result of television commercials and free publicity on television. The results suggest that the campaign was able to create more positive attitudes and motivation but lower risk perceptions and efficacy for preventing weight gain.
To help people prevent weight gain, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre initiated the 'balance intervention', which promotes moderation of food intake and/or increased physical activity in response to occasions of overeating. The aim of this study was to determine whether intervention materials were appreciated, encouraged information seeking and increased motivation and caloric compensatory behaviours. A three-group randomized trial with pre-intervention measures (n = 963, response 86%) and post-intervention measures (n = 857) using electronic questionnaires was conducted among participants aged 25-40 years, recruited from an Internet research panel. The first group received a printed brochure and electronic newsletters (print group), the second group was exposed to radio advertisements (radio group) and the third group was the control group. Multiple regression analyses were used to investigate the impact of the materials on self-reported prevalence of overeating, attitudes, perceived behavioural control, intentions and compensatory behaviours. At follow-up, we found significantly more positive attitudes, intentions and dietary action in the print and radio groups. However, participants who received the radio advertisement had a significantly lower perceived behavioural control. No effects were found on the prevalence of overeating. The results indicate that the intervention materials have potential for increasing people's attitudes, motivation and self-reported behaviour actions, with a possible negative side-effect on perceived behavioural control.
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