Piloting an Intervention to Address Weight Bias Internalization to Improve Adolescent Weight Management Outcomes
The Miriam Hospital
Summary
Weight stigma and weight bias internalization (WBI) are common among adolescents at higher weight statuses. WBI is associated with negative physical and mental health outcomes. The current study aims to test an intervention for weight stigma and WBI combined with an evidence-based adolescent weight management program. Eligible adolescents (13-17) will be assigned by chance to one of two groups: 1) a 4-week intervention focused on weight stigma and WBI followed by a 16-week behavioral weight management program; or 2) a 4-week health information control (to include non-weight-related health promotion topics such as smoking and skin cancer prevention) followed by the same 16-week weight management program but without the WBI and weight stigma content. Study outcomes will be assessed at the 4-week and post-treatment (20 week) timepoints.
Description
The overall goal of this project is to examine the impact of intervening on weight bias internalization (WBI) in conjunction with evidence-based adolescent behavioral weight management (BWM) and to assess reduction in key mechanisms of stress resulting from weight stigma (i.e., biological markers of stress and inflammation, dysregulated eating behaviors) and subsequent impact on weight loss interference resulting from WBI. An open trial was previously conducted to test initial acceptability and feasibility of a newly developed 20-week WBI+BWM intervention (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06389656).…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 13–17 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Speak English; * 13-17 years of age; * BMI at or above \>95th%ile for age and sex; * Have at least one caregiver available to provide consent and participate in sessions; * Agree to study participation; Exclusion Criteria: * Cognitive impairment or developmental delay impairing participation in a group setting; * Current participation in a weight management program or recent weight loss of 5% of body weight or more; * Medical condition known to impact weight or that would otherwise prevent participation; * Current use of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist…
Interventions
- BehavioralBehavioral Weight Management
Prescription of diet and physical activity strategies paired with behavioral strategies for weight management
- BehavioralWeight Bias Internalization
Addressing weight stigma and improving weight-related self-perception through challenging weight-related stereotypes, practicing self-compassion, reducing self-criticism, and coping with weight stigma
Location
- The Miriam HospitalProvidence, Rhode Island