Behavioral weight loss treatment for adults with binge-eating disorder: A qualitative analysis of patients' perspectives and experiences.

OBJECTIVE: Understanding the perspectives of behavioral weight loss (BWL) participants could inform whether, how, and for whom BWL should be offered. METHOD: All 126 participants in a clinical trial of BWL for adults with binge-eating disorder (BED) and overweight/obesity were contacted about a qualitative study. 45 participants, 11 of whom had dropped out of the parent study, completed qualitative interviews. The interview guide was developed using data from a survey of providers who offer Health at Every Size and other weight-neutral lifestyle interventions. Questions were phrased to invite even the most negative responses. Questions focused on participants' experiences of weight stigma during treatment, perceptions of BWL's calorie and WL goals, and opinions of BWL and weight-neutral interventions. RESULTS: We identified four themes using thematic analysis: (1) BWL did not perpetuate weight stigma. (2) Calorie and WL goals did not exacerbate participants' binge eating. (3) Patients should have the right to pursue any treatment that aligns with their personal goals. (4) BWL can improve participants' overall health. DISCUSSION: BWL participants with BED and overweight/obesity want others to have access to a program that can reduce both weight and binge eating. Participants emphasized that no treatment works for everyone, and they all agreed that BWL had not perpetuated weight stigma. Fewer than 20% of participants considered the program's calorie and WL goals to be harmful; most participants viewed those goals as achievable and helpful, and many asserted that their participation in BWL had improved their overall health. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: We interviewed adults with binge-eating disorder and overweight/obesity who had participated in a behavioral weight loss (BWL) program. Our participants wanted others in their position to have access to BWL because it aims to reduce both weight and binge-eating frequency. Efforts should be made to provide patients, clinicians, and policymakers with the knowledge that supervised, evidence-based BWL is an effective and desired treatment choice for this population.

Does hopelessness predict treatment outcomes in adults with binge-spectrum eating disorders?

Using data from 165 adult participants who enrolled in four studies of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for binge-spectrum eating disorders (EDs), this secondary analysis examined 1) whether pretreatment hopelessness predicted posttreatment eating pathology, loss-of-control (LOC) eating frequency, and purging frequency; 2) whether treatment had an indirect effect on those outcomes through change in hopelessness; and 3) whether treatment had an indirect effect on hopelessness through those ED measures. The Eating Disorder Examination was used to assess overall eating pathology, LOC frequency, and purging frequency. Hopelessness was measured with one item from the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Regression models showed that pretreatment hopelessness predicted posttreatment LOC eating frequency but not overall eating pathology or purging frequency. Single-group tests of indirect effects showed no effect of reduction in hopelessness on reduction in ED symptoms, but there was an effect of reduction in ED symptoms on reduction in hopelessness.

Relations between forms of dietary restraint, restriction, and loss-of-control eating among adolescents seeking weight control: An ecological momentary assessment study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to: 1) compare rates of dietary restraint and restriction between adolescents with and without loss-of-control (LOC) eating who were seeking weight control and 2) examine temporal relations between restraint/restriction and LOC eating. METHOD: 37 adolescents seeking weight control (mean age: 15.4 ± 1.5; 62 % White; 57 % female; mean BMI percentile = 97.3 ± 3.1) completed a one-week ecological momentary assessment protocol and reported on dietary restraint/restriction and eating behavior prior to beginning a weight control intervention. Chi-square tests examined differences in frequency of restraint/restriction between participants with and without LOC eating. Multilevel models examined associations between dietary restraint/restriction and LOC eating at the next survey and on the next day. RESULTS: Of 37 participants, 15 (41 %) reported engaging in LOC eating. Participants with LOC eating more frequently endorsed several forms of restraint and restriction versus participants without LOC eating. Attempting to avoid enjoyable foods and attempting to limit eating at one survey predicted greater likelihood of LOC eating at the next survey. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that attempted restraint, but not actual restriction, was associated with LOC eating. Research should explore additional factors that may influence these relationships, which could inform weight control treatments that address restraint/restriction.

Affective profiles of exercise episodes are associated with maladaptive and adaptive motivations for exercise.

OBJECTIVE: Maladaptive exercise (i.e., driven and/or compensatory exercise) is common in binge-spectrum eating disorders (EDs; e.g., bulimia nervosa, binge ED) and associated with adverse treatment outcomes. Alternatively, individuals with EDs are often also engaging in adaptive exercise (e.g., for enjoyment or health improvement), and increasing adaptive exercise may decrease ED symptoms. The current study aimed to understand which exercise episodes are likely to be maladaptive/adaptive so that interventions can appropriately decrease/increase maladaptive and adaptive exercise. METHOD: We used latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify pre-exercise affective profiles of 661 exercise episodes among 84 individuals with binge-spectrum EDs and examined associations between LPA-identified profiles and subsequent exercise motivations using ecological momentary assessment. RESULTS: A two-profile solution best fit our data: Profile 1 (n = 174), 'positive affectivity,' and Profile 2 (n = 487), 'negative affectivity.' Episodes in the 'negative affectivity' profile were more likely to be endorsed as both driven and intended to influence body shape/weight. Episodes in the 'positive affectivity' profile were more likely to be endorsed as exercising for enjoyment. CONCLUSIONS: Results support two phenotypes of exercise episodes, and differential associations of these phenotypes with adaptive and maladaptive motivations for exercise.