Short‐Term Effects of a “Health‐At‐Every‐Size” Approach on Eating Behaviors and Appetite Ratings

Abstract

PROVENCHER, VÉ RONIQUE, CATHERINE BÉ GIN, ANGELO TREMBLAY, LYNE MONGEAU, SONIA BOIVIN, AND SIMONE LEMIEUX. Short-term effects of a "Health-At-Every-Size" approach on eating behaviors and appetite ratings. Obesity. 2007;15:957-966. Objective: To assess the effects of a "Health-At-EverySize" (HAES) intervention on eating behaviors and appetite ratings in 144 premenopausal overweight women. Research Methods and Procedures: Women were randomly assigned to one of the 3 groups: HAES group, social support (SS) group, and control group (N ϭ 48 in each group). Interventions were conducted over a 4-month period, and measurements were taken before and after this period. Eating behaviors (cognitive dietary restraint, disinhibition, and susceptibility to hunger) were evaluated by the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire. Appetite ratings (desire to eat, hunger, fullness, and prospective food consumption) were assessed by visual analogue scales before and after a standardized breakfast. Results: More important decreases in susceptibility to hunger and external hunger were observed in the HAES group when compared with the SS group (p ϭ 0.05, for susceptibility to hunger) and the control group (p ϭ 0.02 and p ϭ 0.005, for susceptibility to hunger and external hunger, respectively). In addition, women from the HAES group had more important decreases in postprandial area under the curve for desire to eat (p ϭ 0.02) and hunger (p ϭ 0.04) when compared with the control group. The change in the desire to eat noted in the HAES group was also different from the one observed in SS group (p ϭ 0.02). Women from the HAES group experienced significant weight loss at 4 months (Ϫ1.6 Ϯ 2.5 kg, p Ͻ 0.0001), which did not differ significantly from the SS and control groups (p ϭ 0.09). An increase in flexible restraint was significantly related to a greater weight loss in both HAES and SS groups (r ϭ Ϫ0.39, p Ͻ 0.01; and r ϭ Ϫ0.37, p Ͻ 0.05, respectively). A decrease in habitual susceptibility to disinhibition was also associated with a greater weight loss in HAES and control groups (r ϭ 0.31, p Ͻ 0.05; and r ϭ 0.44, p Ͻ 0.05, respectively). Discussion: These results suggest that a HAES intervention could have significant effects on eating behaviors and appetite ratings in premenopausal overweight women, when compared with an SS intervention or a control group.

Impact of a Health-At-Every-Size intervention on changes in dietary intakes and eating patterns in premenopausal overweight women: Results of a randomized trial

“…Moreover, we thought that changes in eating behaviors which were found to be significant in response to our intervention 25 could be translated into concrete and significant changes in food consumption and nutrient intakes.…”

Associations between eating patterns, dietary intakes and eating behaviors in premenopausal overweight women

“…Inclusion and exclusion criteria have been previously reported (Provencher et al, 2007). Women who participated in the present study were recruited between September 2003 and January 2005, as previously described (Provencher et al, 2007). Women were tested during the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle to control for potential impact of hormonal variation on dietary variables.…”

“…More specific subscales can also be derived from these three general eating behaviors (Westenhoefer, Stunkard, & Pudel, 1999;Bond, McDowell, & Wilkinson, 2001): rigid restraint, flexible restraint, habitual susceptibility to disinhibition, emotional susceptibility to disinhibition, situational susceptibility to disinhibition, internal hunger, and external hunger, as previously described (Provencher et al, 2007). The Binge Eating Scale is a 16-item validated questionnaire (Gormally, Black, Daston, & Rardin, 1982) which assesses binge eating severity.…”

“…Anthropometric measurements were performed according to standardized procedures (Lohman, Roche, & Artorel, 1988) and have been previously described (Provencher et al, 2007).…”

Non-dieting group interventions for overweight and obese women: what predicts non-completion and does completion improve outcomes?

“…Inclusion of intensive stress management training in a non-dieting group programme for overweight women has been shown to enhance stress management and medical symptom outcomes, but not weight outcomes (20) . To date, among studies of group non-dieting interventions (5,7,10,(16)(17)(18)(19)21) , only one has reported attendance/ completion data (12) . Rapoport et al (12) reported significantly higher binge eating, but no significant BMI, depression or demographic differences in women who attended fewer than seven out of ten sessions compared with those who attended at least seven sessions.…”