Applying Regulatory Focus Theory to Encourage Weight Loss in a Self-directed Intervention.

Background: Regulatory focus theory proposes two self-regulatory systems: promotion focus-related to fulfilling aspirations and maximizing positive outcomes-and prevention focus-related to fulfilling responsibilities and avoiding negative outcomes. Building on research demonstrating associations between regulatory focus and weight outcomes, a proof-of-concept weight control intervention framed intervention procedures in terms of promotion or prevention focus and descriptively examined whether the impact of the intervention conditions depended on dispositional regulatory focus.

Methods: After random assignment to control (received pamphlet on diet and physical activity), promotion, or prevention conditions (1.

Associations of parent dietary role modeling with children's diet quality in a rural setting: Baseline data from the NU-HOME study.

These analyses examined associations of parent dietary role modeling with diet quality among school-age children in a rural community. Past research has found protective associations between parent role modeling and children's dietary intake; however, there is a gap in understanding these associations for families in rural communities. Baseline data (2017 -2018) were drawn from the New Ulm at Home (NU-HOME) randomized controlled trial, conducted in the United States.

Weight outcomes of NU-HOME: a randomized controlled trial to prevent obesity among rural children.

Background: Rural children are at greater obesity risk than their urban peers. The NU-HOME study is an innovative collaborative effort to prevent childhood obesity in rural communities. Weight outcomes of the NU-HOME study, a family-meal focused randomized controlled trial (RCT) are described.

Are patterns of family evening meal practices associated with child and parent diet quality and weight-related outcomes?

Family meal practices such as family member presence, fast food consumption and media usage have been associated with health outcomes. However, little is known about combinations of family meal practices and their effects on diet and health. This secondary data analysis aimed to identify patterns of family evening meal practices and examine their associations with family characteristics (e.

Affect and engagement in healthy and unhealthy weight control behaviors in college women: An ecological momentary assessment study.

Purpose: The relationships between momentary affect and weight control behaviors have been extensively studied in samples of individuals with eating disorders, but we do not know that the established relationships translate to healthy college women. The current study examined the relationship between affect and weight control behaviors in healthy college women.

Method: Female college students (N = 67) completed measures of negative affect, positive affect, healthy weight control behaviors, and unhealthy weight control behaviors across fourteen days using ecological momentary assessment.

State body dissatisfaction predicts momentary positive and negative affect but not weight control behaviors: an ecological momentary assessment study.

Purpose: Body dissatisfaction is ubiquitous in our society and leads to eating disorders. Longitudinal research suggests that higher body dissatisfaction predicts higher negative affect and unhealthy weight control behaviors over time. However, no study has assessed how body dissatisfaction impacts affect and weight control behaviors in the moment.

Universal childhood obesity prevention in a rural community: Study design, methods and baseline participant characteristics of the NU-HOME randomized controlled trial.

Childhood obesity is a major health concern in the United States (US) and those living in rural communities are at higher risk than their urban counterparts. Few prevention trials have engaged whole families of school-age children in community settings, and none to date have promoted family meals, family activity and healthful home environments in rural settings through a rigorous, randomized controlled trial (RCT). The New Ulm at HOME (NU-HOME) study recruited 114 parent/child dyads in a two-arm (intervention versus wait-list control) RCT to test the efficacy of a family meals-focused program aimed to prevent excess weight gain among 7-10 year-old children in rural Minnesota.

Leveraging Interdisciplinary Teams to Develop and Implement Secure Websites for Behavioral Research: Applied Tutorial.

Behavioral researchers are increasingly using interactive digital platforms, either as standalone or supplementary intervention tools, to facilitate positive changes in research participants' health habits. Research-oriented interactive websites optimally offer a variety of participatory mediums, such as blogs, user-driven content, or health activities. Owing to the multidirectional features of interactive websites, and a corresponding need to protect research participants' identity and data, it is paramount that researchers design ethical platforms that ensure privacy and minimize loss of anonymity and confidentiality.

Associations between parent and child physical activity and eating behaviours in a diverse sample: an ecological momentary assessment study.

Objective: This study is a secondary data analysis that examines the association between parent modelling of dietary intake and physical activity and the same child behaviours among different races/ethnicities using innovative, rigorous and objective measures.

Design: Ecological momentary assessment surveys were sent to parents to assess whether their child had seen them exercise or consume food. Dietary recall data and accelerometry were used to determine dietary intake and physical activity behaviours of children.

Minority and low-income patients are less likely to have a scale for self-weighing in their home: A survey in primary care.

Daily self-weighing is a weight management behaviour that requires a scale; however, scale ownership may be cost-prohibitive for some patients. Our objective was to understand the proportion of primary care patients with a scale at home, and factors associated with home scale access, to potentially inform future interventions that facilitate scale access. Cross sectional survey of 216 adult patients from three primary care clinics: mixed-income urban/suburban (n = 68); mixed-income urban (n = 70); low-income urban (n = 74).

Understanding the Nutritional Needs of Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Students at a Large Public Midwestern University.

The purpose of this research was to generate knowledge of the nutrition-related health disparities and barriers to adequate nutrition and health that transgender and gender-nonconforming (GNC) university students experience. A needs assessment was conducted with 26 transgender/GNC students enrolled at a large public Midwestern university from November 2017 through February 2018. Interviews and surveys were used to collect qualitative and quantitative data regarding nutrition-related health disparities and barriers, and to identify potential interventions to reduce the disparities or barriers.

Life Events, Physical Activity, and Weight Loss Maintenance: Decomposing Mediating and Moderating Effects of Health Behavior.

Background: This analysis helps clarify the individual and joint effects of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in concert with significant life events (eg, divorce, marriage, job change or loss, pregnancy, etc) on weight following a behavioral weight loss intervention.

Methods: Data from the Tracking Study weight loss trial were utilized to perform a 4-way decomposition of moderation and mediation of life events (≥ 1 vs 0) and MVPA (low <2500 kcal vs high ≥ 2500 kcal) on 24-month weight.

Results: The total effect of life events and MVPA on weight was estimated to be 1.

How Accurate are Recalls of Self-Weighing Frequency? Data from a 24-Month Randomized Trial.

Introduction: Self-weighing is an important component of self-monitoring during weight loss. However, methods of measuring self-weighing frequency need to be validated. This analysis compared self-reported and objective weighing frequency.

Characterizing Self-Monitoring Behavior and Its Association With Physical Activity and Weight Loss Maintenance.

Reviewing gaps in self-monitoring during weight loss interventions may help identify individuals demonstrating signs of disengagement in behaviors, including moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), associated with weight loss maintenance. This study examined the associations of different aspects of self-monitoring during a weight loss intervention with 24-month MVPA and weight. Secondary data analysis from the Tracking Study, a trial comparing weight-tracking frequency during a lifestyle weight loss program, was conducted.

Psychological status and weight variability over eight years: Results from Look AHEAD.

Objective: Cross-sectional studies suggest an association between weight cycling and psychological status. Although this is often interpreted as suggesting that weight cycles "cause" psychological distress, the relationship could be bidirectional. This study provides a prospective analysis of the bidirectional association between weight variability and psychological status over an 8-year period in overweight/obese adults with Type 2 diabetes.

Exposure to teasing on popular television shows and associations with adolescent body satisfaction.

Objective: This study uses a novel mixed methods design to examine the relationship between incidents of teasing in popular television shows and body satisfaction of adolescent viewers.

Methods: Survey data were used to identify 25 favorite television shows in a large population-based sample of Minnesota adolescents (N=2793, age=14.4years).

A Content Analysis of Physical Activity in TV Shows Popular Among Adolescents.

Purpose: Previous research has demonstrated that television has the potential to influence youth behaviors, but little evidence exists on how television depicts physical activity (PA), an important public health priority for youth. This mixed-methods study investigated depictions of television characters' participation in PA in the top 25 favorite shows ranked by a diverse sample of 2,793 adolescents.

Method: Randomly selected episodes from each show were content-analyzed for PA incidents, reasons, and context and in relation to the gender and weight status of participating characters.

Weight-Gain Reduction Among 2-Year College Students: The CHOICES RCT.

Introduction: The young adult years have been recognized as an influential period for excess weight gain. Non-traditional students and those attending 2-year community colleges are at particularly high risk for a range of adverse weight-related outcomes.

Design: Choosing Healthy Options in College Environments and Settings was an RCT with students randomly assigned into a control or intervention condition after baseline assessment.

Results of a 2-year randomized, controlled obesity prevention trial: Effects on diet, activity and sleep behaviors in an at-risk young adult population.

Excess weight gain tends to occur in young adulthood. However, research examining effective weight-related interventions for this age group has been limited. As one of seven trials in the EARLY Trials consortium (Early Adult Reduction of weight through LifestYle intervention), the CHOICES Study (Choosing Healthy Options in College Environments and Settings) tested effects of a technology-integrated, young adult weight gain prevention intervention.

Self-weighing behavior in individuals with eating disorders.

Objective: To describe the frequency of self-weighing and reactions to prescribed weekly weighing among individuals with eating disorder (ED) diagnoses, and to compare individuals weighing more or less frequently on mass index (BMI) and the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) subscales.

Method: Baseline EDE and demographics from five studies (N = 758).

Results: Self-weighing was most frequent among individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN), followed by those with bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED).

Self-Weighing Throughout Adolescence and Young Adulthood: Implications for Well-Being.

Objective: To describe the prevalence of self-weighing in the transition period from adolescence to young adulthood and examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between self-weighing and weight status, psychological, and behavioral outcomes.

Design: Project Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults, a longitudinal cohort study that assessed variables 3 times over 10 years.

Participants: A total of 1,868 adolescents and young adults.

Recruiting and retaining young adults in a weight gain prevention trial: Lessons learned from the CHOICES study.

Background/aims: Young adults are at risk of weight gain, but little is known about designing effective weight control trials for young adults or how to recruit and retain participants in these programs. The Choosing Healthy Options in College Environments and Settings (CHOICES) study evaluated the effectiveness of a weight gain prevention intervention for 2-year college students. We describe the methods used to recruit and retain the colleges and their students, describe the sample and discuss recommendations for future studies.

A 2-year young adult obesity prevention trial in the US: Process evaluation results.

Our objective was to conduct a process evaluation of the CHOICES (Choosing Healthy Options in College Environments and Settings) study, a large, randomized, controlled trial designed to prevent unhealthy weight gain in young adults (aged 18-35) attending 2-year community colleges in the USA. The 24-month intervention consisted of participation in an academic course and a social networking and support website. Among intervention participants, completion rates for most course activities were >80%, reflecting a high level of dose received.