Subjective experiences of physical activity and forecasting bias during behavioral weight loss

Abstract

Introduction: Engagement in physical activity (PA) is a critical component of behavioral weight loss (BWL) treatment. Subjective experiences surrounding PA may shape exercise decisions and need to be further understood within a BWL sample. Methods:Participants in this study were adults with overweight/obesity enrolled in an 18-month BWL program. At baseline, six, and 18 months, participants (N = 320) predicted how they would feel during a lab-based walking task and rated their experiences mid-walk and post-walk. They also completed self-report questionnaires assessing depressive symptoms and discomfort intolerance.Results and Discussion: Results indicated that exercise experience and expectations were more positive at later treatment points than at baseline. At each assessment point, post-walk ratings were more positive than mid-walk ratings, but pre-walk ratings did not differ from mid-walk ratings, suggesting BWL participants were relatively accurate in predicting their PA experience. These results suggest treatment-seeking adults with overweight/obesity feel most positive upon completion of PA, may not experience a forecasting bias as hypothesized and seem to have increasingly positive PA expectations and experiences as they proceed through treatment and lose weight. Lower discomfort intolerance and depressive symptoms were associated with more positive PA expectations and experiences. Understanding these individual differences in PA experience can inform intervention strategies.

Understanding the relationship between subclinical depressive symptoms and physical activity in behavioral weight loss treatment

“…Among those with overweight/obesity, it is increasingly important to consider how the perception of potential physical discomfort associated with exercise impacts feelings about PA engagement. Women with overweight have been found to perceive and physiologically show higher exertion, which is physically uncomfortable, during exercise compared to women with a BMI in the normal range 47 and another secondary analysis of this parent study 32 reports that participants with lower total DIS scores tend to view exercise as a more positive experience 48 . The anticipation of discomfort or previous experiences of discomfort during PA engagement may influence one's desire to avoid these thoughts/experiences and participants with these feelings may have a higher propensity to perceive barriers to PA. Future research should examine weight‐related stigma as a potential factor related to discomfort avoidance.…”

“…Women with overweight have been found to perceive and physiologically show higher exertion, which is physically uncomfortable, during exercise compared to women with a BMI in the normal range 47 and another secondary analysis of this parent study 32 reports that participants with lower total DIS scores tend to view exercise as a more positive experience. 48 The anticipation of discomfort or previous experiences of discomfort during PA engagement may influence one's desire to avoid these thoughts/experiences and participants with these feelings may have a higher propensity to perceive barriers to PA. Future research should examine weight‐related stigma as a potential factor related to discomfort avoidance. Weight‐related stigma has been associated with decreased levels of PA and is common among BWL participants, especially among those with elevated levels of depression.…”

“…Women with overweight have been found to perceive and physiologically show higher exertion, which is physically uncomfortable, during exercise compared to women with a BMI in the normal range 47 and another secondary analysis of this parent study 32 reports that participants with lower total DIS scores tend to view exercise as a more positive experience. 48 The anticipation of discomfort or previous experiences of discomfort during PA engagement may influence one's desire to avoid these thoughts/experiences and participants with these feelings may have a higher Key strengths of this study were a large sample size, multiple assessment points, the use of objectively measured PA and sedentary behavior, and the novelty of these aims, especially aims positioned to better understand the relationship between depressive symptoms and barriers to PA in BWL. There were a few limitations of this analysis.…”