Abstract
Age-related weight gain prevention may reduce population overweight/obesity. Emerging adulthood is a crucial time to act, as rate of gain accelerates and health habits develop. Evidence supports self-weighing (SW) for preventing weight gain; however, how SW impacts psychological states and behaviors in vulnerable groups is unclear. This study assessed daily SW effects on affective lability, stress, weight-related stress, body satisfaction, and weight-control behaviors. Sixty-nine university females (aged 18–22) were randomized to daily SW or temperature-taking (TT) control. Over 2 weeks, participants completed five daily ecological momentary assessments with their intervention behavior. A graph of their data with a trendline was emailed daily, with no other intervention components. Multilevel mixed models with random effect for day assessed variability in positive/negative affect. Generalized linear mixed models assessed outcomes pre- and post-SW or TT and generalized estimating equations assessed weight-control behaviors. Negative affective lability was significantly greater for SW versus TT. While general stress did not differ between groups, weight-related stress was significantly higher and body satisfaction was significantly lower post-behavior for SW but not TT. Groups did not significantly differ in the number or probability of weight-control behaviors. Caution is advised when recommending self-weighing to prevent weight gain for emerging adults.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1695-1713 |
Number of pages | 19 |
Journal | Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being |
Volume | 15 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2023 International Association of Applied Psychology.
Keywords
- affective lability
- disordered eating
- emerging adulthood
- risk factor
- self-weighing
- women
PubMed: MeSH publication types
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Journal Article
- Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't