The role of self-efficacy, coping, and lapses in weight maintenance

Purpose Successful weight maintenance after weight loss is exceedingly rare. The present study aimed to identify psychological predictors of lapses and weight maintenance. Methods Self-efficacy, coping, and perceptions of lapses were examined as potential predictors of lapse frequency and weight maintenance (percentage weight loss maintained). Participants included 67 adults (85.3 % women) who had intentionally lost a mean of 16 % of their body weight and had stopped losing weight at least 6 months prior to data collection. Participants completed a 7-day lapse diary tracking the frequency and perceived severity of their dietary and activity lapses, along with questionnaires on self-efficacy, coping, and characteristics of their weight loss. Results Participants had lost a mean of 13.9 kg, 20.4 months prior to data collection. More frequent lapsing was correlated with lower self-efficacy and greater perceived lapse severity. Lower percentage of weight loss maintained was correlated with lower self-efficacy, poorer coping, greater perceived lapse severity, and longer time since weight loss ended. “Regainers,” who maintained <90 % of their weight loss, had poorer self-efficacy, poorer coping, greater lapse frequency, and greater perceived lapse severity, than “maintainers,” who maintained at least 90 % of their weight loss. Conclusions The results suggest that self-efficacy, coping, and perceived lapse severity are significant predictors of weight maintenance, consistent with the relapse prevention model. The goals of improving self-efficacy and coping skills might be important additions to weight maintenance programs

Objective and subjective bulimic episodes in the classification of bulimic-type eating disorders: another nail in the coffin of a problematic distinction

We sought to further explore the validity of the distinction between objective bulimic episodes (OBEs) and subjective bulimic episodes (SBEs) in the study of bulimic-type eating disorders. Drawing on data obtained at the second, interview phase of a large-scale epidemiological study, we identified mutually exclusive subgroups of women with bulimic-type eating disorders who engaged in regular OBEs but not SBEs (n = 37) or regular SBEs but not OBEs (n = 52). These subgroups were compared on a wide range of outcomes, including socio-demographic characteristics, current levels of eating disorder psychopathology, general psychological distress and impairment in role functioning, current and lifetime impairment in quality of life specifically associated with an eating problem, (self)-recognition of an eating problem, health service utilization and use of psychotropic medication. The only difference between groups was that participants who reported regular OBEs were heavier than those who reported regular SBEs. The findings converge with those of previous research in suggesting that bulimic-type eating disorders characterized by regular SBEs, but not OBEs, do not differ in any clinically meaningful way from those characterized by regular OBEs, but not SBEs. Inclusion of bulimic-type eating disorders characterized by regular SBEs as a provisional category requiring further research in DSM-V appears warranted

Protecting Public Health in the 2020 Elections

This first-of-its-kind report brings together political science data with public health insights on the spread of COVID-19 to conclude that the safety of in-person voting during the 2020 elections depends on expanding absentee voting, eliminating polling place congestion, and reducing wait times at polling stations. The report reviews existing medical literature on risk factors for COVID-19, political science research on congestion during voting, and evidence of the public health impacts of the 2020 primary elections to create urgent policy recommendations for the November general election