Improving Appetite Regulation in Patients With Obesity

Improving Appetite Self-Regulation in Patients With Obesity: A Feasibility Study

Over 70% of U.S. adults have overweight or obesity. Currently, the most efficacious behavioral intervention for obesity is standard behavioral treatment (SBT), often composed of group sessions, calorie goals, and physical activity goals. With this approach, participants often lose 8-10% of the person's baseline weight, and also decrease risk for cardiovascular disease. Long-term weight loss, however, is limited; many participants return to baseline weight within five years following treatment. One reason SBT may not create long-term weight loss may be due to treatment components that teach participants to rely on external methods for changing eating decisions (e.g., counting calories, restricting certain foods), rather than internal cues of hunger and satiety. Because individuals with obesity report significant challenges with adhering to these cues, augmenting behavioral interventions with appetite self-regulation training may be a solution. Thus, the investigator propose to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a 6-month remotely-delivered appetite regulation + lifestyle modification intervention to treat obesity.

Aim 1. Using a single-arm design, the investigator will examine the feasibility and acceptability of a 6-month, remotely-delivered, appetite self-regulation intervention for weight loss maintenance.

Aim 2. Examine the preliminary efficacy of the intervention on weight maintenance at 4 and 6 months.

Inclusion Criteria:

• over 18 years of age,
• BMI ≥ 25-45 kg/m^2,
• have and regularly use a smartphone,
• weight loss of 5% or more within the last 2 years
• complete the screening questionnaire

Exclusion Criteria:

• have no internet access,
• report a medical condition that could jeopardize the person's safety in a weight control program with diet and exercise guidelines
• are currently pregnant
• are in substance use treatment
• are involved in another weight reduction program
• have received prior or planned bariatric surgery