The Effects of Weight and Nutrition Education on Weight Control Beliefs, Body Image, Self-Esteem and Eating Patterns in Undergraduate Dieters

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Dietary Restraint

Treatments: Other: Weight Science Education; Other: Nutrition Education; Other: Sleep Education

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07349316

19334

Details and patient eligibility

About

People who diet typically believe they can control their weight. People who believe they should control their weight are more likely to have poor body image, low self-esteem and disordered eating. People who believe they should aim for a healthy lifestyle and accept their natural weight have better body image, better self-esteem and less disordered eating. This study will compare three types of education in undergraduate dieters. In the first, the investigators will teach how the body naturally controls weight. In the second, the investigators will teach about healthy eating. In the third, the investigators will teach about how the body naturally controls weight and healthy eating. The study is testing whether teaching about how the body naturally controls weight and healthy eating changes people's beliefs about weight. The study also tests whether changing people's beliefs about weight will change their body satisfaction, their feelings about themselves, and their intention to diet.

Enrollment: 150 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Undergraduate students at McMaster University
• Individuals who are restricting their eating to try and lose weight.
• Self-identified women
• Ages 18 or over
• Normal (or corrected to normal) hearing
• Normal (or corrected to normal) vision

Exclusion criteria

- Self-identified men

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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150 participants in 3 patient groups

Weight Science Education and Sleep Education (Control)

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants in the Weight Science Education and Sleep Education (Control) arm will be receiving both those educational interventions after answering questionnaires. This arm assesses the hypothesis that weight science education alone will decrease belief in personal control over weight and will have little to no effect on belief in choosing a healthy lifestyle/weight acceptance.

Treatment:

Other: Sleep Education

Other: Weight Science Education

Nutrition Education and Sleep Education (Control)

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants in the Nutrition Education and Sleep Education (Control) arm will be receiving both those educational interventions after answering questionnaires. This arm assesses the hypothesis that nutrition education alone will increase belief in choosing a healthy lifestyle or weight acceptance, but will have little to no effect on the belief in personal control over weight.

Treatment:

Other: Sleep Education

Other: Nutrition Education

Weight Science Education and Nutrition Education

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in the Weight Science Education and Healthy Eating Education arm will be receiving both those educational interventions after answering questionnaires. This arm assesses the main hypothesis that weight science and nutrition teaching combined will both decrease the belief of personal control over weight and an increase the belief in choosing a healthy lifestyle/weight acceptance.

Treatment:

Other: Nutrition Education

Other: Weight Science Education