Behavioral Treatment for Weight Loss

Summary

This project compares gold standard cognitive-behavioral therapy (based on LEARN, Diabetes Prevention Program, LOOK Ahead) used in both research and clinical settings, with acceptance-based behavioral therapy for weight loss. Standard behavior treatment (SBT) focuses on modifying eating, thinking, and activity levels. Participants limit their daily caloric intake, keep food records, increase physical activity, and practice weight control behaviors, such as stimulus control, cognitive restructuring, alternative coping skills, and distinguishing hunger from cravings. The acceptance-based approach (ABT) incorporates the behavioral and nutritional components, but replaced the cognitive and motivational components with components that are consistent with an acceptance-based approach, such as acceptance and willingness to experience cravings, cognitive defusion, mindfulness training to interrupt automatic eating, and values work. These components are drawn from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes, Strosahl, \& Wilson, 1999), a cognitive-behavioral therapy that has been gaining increasing attention and empirical support (Bach \& Hayes, 2002; Bond \& Bunce, 2000; Hayes et al. 2004). Though relatively new, acceptance-based strategies have demonstrated effectiveness in helping individuals to respond to unwanted thoughts and feelings (Hayes, Rissett, Korn, Zettle, Rosenfarb, Cooper, \& Grundt, 1999, Keogh, Bond, Hanmer, \& Tilston, 2005) and offer a novel alternative to control-based strategies (such as distraction and confrontation).

Participants in this study will be randomly assigned to either the traditional behavioral therapy condition (SBT) or the acceptance-based behavioral therapy condition (ABT). Both conditions are delivered in group format. A total of 30, 75 minute sessions will take place over the course of 40 weeks.

Specific Aims

1. To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the treatment, and its short and moderate-term effectiveness relative to the current gold standard behavioral treatment (SBT).
2. To evaluate the effectiveness of ABT with novice clinicians and with weight control experts.
3. To evaluate the effectiveness of ABT would be moderated by mood disturbance, emotional eating, disinhibition or susceptibility to food stimuli.

Conditions

• Overweight and Obesity

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Behavioral weight loss intervention

Participants in both conditions are provided nutritional education and behavioral strategies for weight loss (consistent with the LEARN program). Participants in SBT are taught the cognitive and motivational strategies used in LEARN while participants in ABT are taught acceptance-based strategies (e.g., acceptance, mindfulness).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

  collaborator NIH

• Drexel University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2008-09-30

Primary Completion

2011-11-30

Completion

2012-06-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations