Weight Bias Internalization Scale

Eine Einführung in die Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBIS) ist ein Selbstbeurteilungsfragebogen zur Erfassung negativer gewichtsbezogener Selbststereotypisierung, inklusive der deutschen Version der Skala

Binge-Eating Disorder

Binge-eating disorder (BED) was first included as its own diagnostic entity in the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) within the Feeding and Eating Disorders section.1 BED’s hallmark feature is recurrent binge eating, involving the consumption of an amount of food that is definitively larger than what others would eat under comparable circumstances within a certain time, associated with a feeling of loss of control over eating. Diagnosis of BED according to DSM-5 (307.59) requires this objective binge eating to occur at least once per week over 3 months. In contrast to binge eating in bulimia nervosa, binge eating in BED occurs without regular inappropriate compensatory behaviors aimed at preventing weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, fasting, or laxative misuse. Binge eating in BED is further characterized by behavioral abnormalities, such as eating rapidly or until feeling uncomfortably full, and results in marked distress

Hedonic Overeating-Questionnaire: German and English Version

An introduction to the Hedonic Overeating-Questionnaire (HEDO-Q), providing a brief trait assessment of hedonic overeating, operationalizing food-related wanting, liking, and dyscontrol. Items and instructions for the German HEDO-Q and its English translation are provided

Childhood Eating and Feeding Disturbances

Eating and feeding disturbances are prevalent yet understudied health conditions in youth. They are characterized by aberrant eating behaviors, cognitive and emotional dysfunctions, and dysregulated body weight. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition defines several feeding and eating disorders with a common onset in youth; however, data on their clinical validity at young ages are lacking. Further non-normative eating behaviors exist, but their clinical relevance needs elucidation. This Special Issue compiles state-of-the-art reviews and empirical research on the presentation, development, course, and maintenance of diverse eating and feeding disturbances as a prerequisite for delineating evidence-based interventions for treatment and prevention

Temperament dispositions, problematic eating behaviours, and overweight in adolescents

Obesity, a common health condition in adolescence leading to severe medical complications, is assumed to be influenced by temperament factors. This paper investigates associations between reactive and regulative temperament, problematic eating behaviours, and excess weight. Several self-report instruments were completed by 130 adolescents (mean age 14.13 ± 0.61 years), including 27 overweight and obese individuals (20.8%). Bootstrap analysis revealed a mediating effect of restrained eating on the relation between reactive temperament and body mass index percentile, which differed according to gender: Restrained eating, which predicted weight gain, was more present in girls having a higher sensitivity to reward and in boys showing a higher sensitivity to punishment. No effect of regulative temperament was found. These results have important implications for weight management programs, as they suggest that reducing restrained eating by working on temperament may help to control weight

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Postbariatric Surgery Patients With Mental Disorders: A Pilot Study

Background: Binge-eating disorder (BED) and major depressive disorder (MDD) following bariatric surgery are significant predictors for less post-operative weight loss and/or weight regain, however, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) addressing these disorders following surgery has not been investigated so far. Objective: This study examined feasibility of a short-term CBT based on evidence-based manuals for BED and MDD that were adapted to patients following bariatric surgery, and investigated its effectiveness in improving weight loss outcome, psychopathology, and psychosocial functioning. Materials and Methods: In an uncontrolled proof-of-concept study, the CBT manual was piloted in N = 7 patients who had undergone roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery at least 6 months before. Weight loss, eating disorder psychopathology, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem were assessed using clinical interviews and self-report questionnaires at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and in a 3-month follow-up. Results: A significant reduction of body weight was found as well as medium to large effects in the improvement of eating disorder psychopathology, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem from pre-treatment to post-treatment were found. Most of those changes remained stable during the 3-month follow-up period. Study retention was 71.4%. Conclusions: Feasibility and effectiveness of CBT were documented for patients with BED or MDD following bariatric surgery. Adaptations of the study procedure for proof-of efficacy in randomized-controlled studies are discussed

Implicit cognitive processes in binge-eating disorder and obesity

Objectives: Binge-eating disorder (BED) is characterized by recurrent binge eating episodes, associated eating disorder and general psychopathology, and commonly occurs in obese individuals. Explicit self-esteem and explicit weight bias have been linked to BED, while little is known about implicit cognitive processes such as implicit self-esteem and implicit weight bias. Methods: Obese participants with BED and an individually matched obese only group (OB) and normal weight control group (CG; each N = 26) were recruited from the community to examine group differences and associations in explicit and implicit self-esteem and weight bias, as well as the impact of implicit cognitive processes on global eating disorder psychopathology. Implicit cognitive processes were assessed using the Implicit Association Test. Results: Significantly lower explicit self-esteem, as well as higher exposure to explicit weight bias, compared to CG and OB was found in the BED group. All groups showed positive implicit self-esteem, however, it was significantly lower in BED when compared to CG. BED and CG demonstrated equally high implicit weight bias whereas OB did not. Explicit and implicit measures were not significantly correlated. Global eating disorder psychopathology was predicted by explicit and implicit self-esteem. Conclusions: The results of the present study add to the importance of implicit self-esteem and implicit weight bias beyond explicit measures in BED, while both were previously shown to be associated with onset and maintenance of BED. In conclusion, implicit cognitive processes should be focused on in interventions for BED to investigate their impact on psychological treatments

Social facilitation maintenance treatment for adults with obesity: study protocol for a randomised-controlled feasibility study (SFM study)

Introduction: The long-term success of non-surgical weight loss treatment in adults with obesity is limite by substantial relapse, and only a few evidence-based weight loss maintenance treatments exist. This clinical trial investigates the feasibility and efficacy of a social facilitation maintenance programme for weight loss maintenance, tailored to meet the needs of obese adults who have undergone a lifestyle weight loss intervention. Methods and analysis: In a single-centre, open feasibility trial, 72 adults currently or previously obese or overweight who have undergone a lifestyle weight loss intervention are centrally randomised to 4 months of social facilitation maintenance treatment or treatment as a usual control condition. In 16 outpatient group sessions, the social facilitation maintenance treatment, based on a socioecological model and on evidence supporting social facilitation as a key process in maintaining weight loss, focuses on promoting interpersonal relationships to build up a healthy lifestyle for long-term weight loss maintenance. Primary outcome is the amount of weight regain at 6-month follow-up, compared with pre-treatment weight, derived from measured body weight. Secondary outcomes address feasibility, including recruitment, attrition, assessment non-completion, compliance and patients’ programme evaluation; and in comparison with pre-weight loss maintenance, social and interpersonal functioning, eating behaviour and physical activity, psychological and physical symptoms, body composition and risk of comorbidity, and quality of life at post-treatment and follow-up assessments. Ethics and dissemination: The study was approved by the Ethical Committee at the University of Leipzig (165-13-15072013). The study results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications. Trial registration number: DRKS0000518

Adipositas und psychische Komorbidität: Therapeutische Implikationen

Die Adipositas geht im Erwachsenenalter oft mit psychischer Komorbidität einher, die den Gewichtsreduktionserfolg beeinflussen und eine Behandlung indizieren kann, die von Standardprogrammen der multimodalen Adipositasverhaltenstherapie (AVT) nicht abgedeckt wird. Dieser Artikel diskutiert am Beispiel der häufig komorbiden Binge-Eating-Störung (BES) aktuelle Forschungsergebnisse zu Ätiologie und Intervention bei Komorbidität mit dem Ziel, Implikationen für die weitere Forschung und Behandlung abzuleiten. Weil die Kognitive Verhaltenstherapie (KVT), die am besten belegte Therapieform für Erwachsene mit BES, der AVT bei der Reduktion der Essstörungssymptomatik überlegen war, bei der Gewichtsreduktion nur tendenziell und ausschließlich kurzfristig unterlegen, sollte sich die weitere Interventionsentwicklung auf graduelle Anpassungen der KVT zur Verbesserung der Gewichtsreduktion bei Patienten mit Adipositas und BED konzentrieren. Hierfür kommen mit dem Ziel einer geringfügigen Gewichtsreduktion einzelne adaptierte AVT-Interventionen in Betracht, während sich gleichzeitige oder sequentielle Kombinationen dieser beiden Therapieformen nicht eindeutig bewährt haben. Interventionen, die auf aktuellen Forschungsergebnissen für die Komorbidität beider Störungsbilder fußen, könnten individualisiert einbezogen werden, um die Wirksamkeit für Essstörungssymptomatik und Körpergewicht zu erhöhen. Neue digitale Behandlungsmodalitäten könnten den Transfer in den Lebensalltag und die Nachhaltigkeit der Effekte fördern. Diese Modifikationen hin zu einer adaptiven KVT für Erwachsene mit Adipositas und BES, basierend auf einem patientengerechten Therapierationale, bedürfen der Absicherung durch weitere experimentelle Therapieforschung.Obesity often co-occurs with mental comorbidity in adults, likely impacting weight loss success and indicating treatment that is not covered by standard behavioral weight loss (BWL) treatment. Using the example of binge-eating disorder (BED) as a frequent comorbid condition, this article discusses current research on etiology and intervention in case of comorbidity, in order to derive implications for research and treatment. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), the most well-established treatment for adults with BED, was more efficacious than BWL in improving binge-eating symptomatology in patients with obesity and BED, while tending to show lower weight loss effects in the short term only. Therefore, further intervention development should focus on gradual adaptations of CBT for improving weight loss. These interventions could be adapted from BWL and aim at a slight weight loss. Parallel or sequential combinations of these treatments have not consistently demonstrated improved treatment effects. Interventions based on current research could be included on an individual basis, in order to enhance efficacy for eating disorder symptomatology and body weight. New digital treatment modalities could support the transfer into daily life and boost the long-term maintenance of therapeutic gains. These modifications regarding adaptive CBT for adults with obesity and BED should be based on an individual treatment rationale and require further research in an experimental therapeutics framework