Publications by authors named "Jessica Unick"

Obesity is a public health crisis, with prevalence rates tripling over the past 60 y. Although lifestyle modifications, such as diet and physical activity, remain the first-line treatments, recent anti-obesity medications (AOMs) have been shown to achieve greater reductions in body weight and fat mass. However, AOMs also reduce fat-free mass, including skeletal muscle, which has been demonstrated to account for 20% to 50% of total weight loss.

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Objective: Given that low early (4 weeks) weight loss (WL) predicts longer-term WL, the purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with poor early WL.

Methods: 438 adults with overweight/obesity participating in an Internet-delivered behavioral WL program provided weights at baseline and 4 weeks. Participants were stratified by percent WL at 4 weeks: LOW: <2% WL, MEDIUM: 2 to <4% WL, HIGH: ≥4% WL and groups were compared on baseline variables (demographics, physical activity, and psychosocial measures) and 4-week intervention adherence.

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Importance: Weight loss (WL) during the first month of a behavioral program is associated with longer-term WL. Testing of translatable and adaptive obesity programs is needed.

Objective: To compare brief, extended, and no telephone coaching for individuals with suboptimal response (ie, 1-month WL <4%) within an online WL program.

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Objectives: While previous research has utilized remote delivery of yoga interventions, no research has specifically interrogated the effectiveness of remote yoga intervention delivery. In this secondary analysis of weight-maintenance trial data, we examined participant perceptions of essential yoga properties across in-person and remote formats, hypothesizing that perceptions would not differ following remote delivery.

Methods: 24 women with overweight or obesity (34.

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Objective: There is substantial inter-individual variability in response to weight loss interventions and emerging evidence suggests that weight loss during the early weeks of an intervention may be predictive of longer-term weight loss. This secondary analysis of data from a commercial program therefore examined 1) the associations between early weight loss (i.e.

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Participation in regular physical activity (PA) has numerous health benefits; however, as few as 10% of U.S. adults meet guidelines when device-based assessments of PA are used.

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Background: Dietary lapses can hinder weight loss and yoga can improve self-regulation, which may protect against lapses. This study examined the effect of yoga on dietary lapses, potential lapse triggers (e.g.

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Objective: We aimed to determine the association of the time-of-day of bout-related moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (bMVPA) with changes in glycemic control across 4 years in adults with overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Research Design And Methods: Among 2,416 participants (57% women; mean age, 59 years) with 7-day waist-worn accelerometry recording at year 1 or 4, we assigned bMVPA timing groups based on the participants' temporal distribution of bMVPA at year 1 and recategorized them at year 4. The time-varying exposure of bMVPA (≥10-min bout) timing was defined as ≥50% of bMVPA occurring during the same time period (morning, midday, afternoon, or evening), <50% of bMVPA in any time period (mixed), and ≤1 day with bMVPA per week (inactive).

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Current U.S. guidelines recommend that adults obtain 150 min per week of moderate intensity physical activity (PA), 75 min of vigorous intensity PA, or some equivalent combination.

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Purpose: To explore barriers and facilitators to healthy eating during the COVID-19 pandemic among adults enrolled in an internet-based weight loss program.

Methods: Adults in an internet-delivered weight loss program were recruited to participate. Participants completed online study surveys and a semi-structured interview via telephone between June 1, 2020 and June 22, 2020.

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Background: Internalized weight stigma (Internalized-WS) is prevalent among individuals with severe obesity, particularly women, and is associated with shame, disordered eating, and weight gain. Effective, accessible interventions that address both severe (Class-III) obesity and Internalized-WS are needed. This randomized pilot trial evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a fully-remote lifestyle modification intervention (LM) followed by mindful self-compassion training (MSC) or control.

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Objective: The aims of this study were as follows: 1) examine weight changes in older adults (mean age = 76 years) with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity during the COVID-19 shutdown; and 2) compare the behavioral and psychosocial effects of the shutdown in those who had large weight losses (>5%), those who had small weight losses (2%-5%), those who remained weight stable (±2%), or those who gained weight (>2%).

Methods: Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) participants (N = 2544) were surveyed during the COVID-19 shutdown (2020), and they self-reported their current weight, reasons for weight change, weight-related behaviors, psychosocial measures, and negative and positive effects of the pandemic on their lives.

Results: Comparing self-reported weight during the COVID-19 shutdown with earlier measured weight, Look AHEAD participants lost, on average, 2.

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Objective: Little is known about week-to-week recovery from regains following a behavioral weight loss intervention (BWLI). This study examined changes in behaviors, cognitions, and moods associated with transitioning from weight regain to weight loss during the nine-month weight loss maintenance period after a three-month Internet-based BWLI.

Method: Participants ( = 68) self-weighed daily via "smart" scales and answered 40 weekly questionnaires about their weight-related behaviors and psychological states.

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Background: Much research has focused on precursors to dietary lapses in weight loss programs, but less is known about how individual responses to lapses may influence future non-adherence and program success. The current study examined affective responses to overeating lapses and their influence on subsequent overeating and overall weight loss.

Methods: Women (n = 60) with overweight or obesity (BMI (mean ± SD): 34.

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Objective: Yoga targets psychological processes which may be important for long-term weight loss (WL). This study is the first to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of yoga within a weight management program following WL treatment.

Methods: 60 women with overweight or obesity (34.

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Internalized weight stigma (IWS) is independently associated with less intuitive eating (i.e., eating based on endogenous hunger/satiety cues) and higher Body Mass Index (BMI), and intuitive eating training is commonly conceptualized as protective against the effects of IWS on poor behavioral health.

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Background: Affective responses are posited to be key predictors of the uptake and maintenance of health behaviors. However, few studies have examined how individuals' affective response to physical activity, as well as the degree to which their affect response changes, may predict changes in physical activity and sedentary time during behavioral weight loss treatment.

Purpose: The current study examined how baseline momentary affective response (i.

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Unlabelled: Negative emotional experiences are associated with dysregulated eating behaviors that impede weight management. While weight loss interventions promote physical activity and self-regulation of eating, no studies have examined how physical activity may directly influence eating by attenuating associations between negative emotions and eating.

Objective: The current study examined how momentary negative emotions (stress and anxiety), moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA), and their interactions predict eating dysregulation (i.

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Objective: For individuals with overweight/obesity, internalized weight bias (IWB) is linked to low physical activity (PA). This study used a laboratory-based paradigm to test the hypothesis that IWB moderates the association between heart rate (HR) and perceived exertion and affect during PA.

Methods: Participants with overweight/obesity completed 30-min of supervised moderate-intensity treadmill walking (65%-75% of age-predicted maximal HR).

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Purpose: This efficacy trial tests the hypothesis that exercise training favorably affects hedonic eating (i.e., overeating, stress-induced overeating, disinhibited eating, eating when tempted), in a sample of women who are overweight or obese.

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Background: Emotional eating in bariatric surgery patients is inconsistently linked with poor post-operative weight loss and eating behaviors, and much research to date is atheoretical. To examine theory-informed correlates of pre-operative emotional eating, the present cross-sectional analysis examined paths through which experienced weight bias and internalized weight bias (IWB) may associate with emotional eating among individuals seeking bariatric surgery.

Methods: We examined associations of experienced weight bias, IWB, shame, self-compassion, and emotional eating in patients from a surgical weight loss clinic (N = 229, 82.

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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in mandated stay-at-home orders, potentially resulting in changes in mental health (e.g., stress, anxiety) and challenges maintaining healthy dietary and physical activity behaviors.

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Background: Weight regain is common following behavioral obesity treatment and attenuates many of the benefits of initial weight loss. This paper describes a randomized controlled trial that will evaluate the efficacy of two low-contact weight loss maintenance interventions based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and self-regulation (SR). Potential mechanisms of action and moderators of treatment effects will also be evaluated.

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Background: To examine the relationship between early physical activity (PA) adoption (2, 3, and 4 mo) and longer-term PA adherence (1 y) among individuals who were inactive at baseline and received a lifestyle intervention.

Methods: Participants (n = 637) received weekly behavioral weight loss sessions, calorie reduction, and PA goals (50-175 min/wk progression). PA was assessed via self-reported measures at baseline, months 2 to 4, and 1 year.

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Insufficient physical activity (PA) and excessive stationary behavior (SB) are contributors to pediatric obesity, though antecedents and consequences of these behaviors in this population are relatively unknown. This pilot study examined affect, loss of control eating (LOCE), overeating, and hunger surrounding PA and SB in 17 youth with overweight/obesity. Participants completed a 14-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) wearing accelerometers.

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