Eating Patterns of Young Women (18-25 y) with Overweight and Obesity: A Preliminary Investigation.

Overweight and obesity impact up to 40% of young women in Australia; however, young women are challenging to recruit to research and are rarely the focus of weight loss interventions. This study aimed to examine dietary patterns in young women (18-25 years; BMI > 25 kg/m2). An analysis of participants' (mean age: 22.6 year; BMI: 32.2 kg/m2) 3-day food records found young women with overweight/obesity consumed a diet characterised by total energy intake of 9174 (2526) kJ/day, with the first meal at 9:12 am (range: 4:30 am-12:40 pm), the last at 10:43 pm (range: 2:40 pm-2:00 am), and an average eating window of 11.5 h. Young women had poor quality diets, which did not meet dietary recommendations for most core food groups, and high intake of refined carbohydrates. They also reported consuming at least one takeaway meal per day and >30% of total energy intake was from discretionary items. The findings showed that young women with overweight or obesity consume most of their energy intake in the afternoons and late into the evenings and have poor-quality diets with high-discretionary intake, each of which have been shown in previous work to be associated with increased weight and risk of metabolic comorbidities. While these findings require further examination in larger groups with both qualitative and longitudinal data collection to verify the impact of these eating patterns on weight maintenance, the eating behaviours identified here may present a suitable target for novel weight loss interventions in young women, who are an understudied population group in need of tailored weight management solutions.

What do young women with obesity want from a weight management program?

PURPOSE: Early adulthood is a high-risk time for weight gain; however, young women with obesity are difficult to recruit to weight management programs. To encourage participation and retention, it is important to understand what young women want from these programs. The purpose of the study was to explore participants' perspectives on the features of an ideal weight management program. METHODS: Semi-structured interview schedules were used to elicit information from eight focus groups [27 women; mean age of 29.1 (± 5.1) years, mean body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) of 35.8 (± 2.9)]. The focus groups were transcribed, coded and analyzed qualitatively. RESULTS: The themes that emerged were program content, format, program characteristics, program name, location and duration. A major finding from the study is that participants value a program that includes nutritional, psychological and lifestyle interventions, and includes components that are not traditionally part of weight management programs such as body acceptance, sexual health and dressing and grooming. A program name that conveys wellness and body positivity was valued. Participants highlighted the importance of individualized programs that are also tailored to the needs of young adults, and delivered by credible and approachable staff who provide accountability. Cost-effectiveness, flexibility, accessibility, time-commitment were important considerations and the use of a combination of virtual and in-person methods (including group interventions) appealed to this cohort. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of program features which resonate with young women facilitates development of innovative ways to engage and support evidence-based weight management in this vulnerable group. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V.

How eating disordered and non-eating disordered women differ in their use (and effectiveness) of cognitive self-regulation strategies for managing negative experiences.

PURPOSE: The present study compared the use (and effectiveness) of cognitive self-regulation strategies in eating disordered (ED) and non-eating disordered women (non-ED), and whether ED subgroups differ in their use of avoidant/suppressive strategies and cognitive reappraisal. METHODS: The participants consisted of 90 adult patients recruited from a specialist eating disorder service and 97 adults without an ED. Cognitive self-regulation strategies were examined on a baseline self-report measure and while looking in a mirror. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that, relative to the non-ED group, ED participants engage in more worry and self-punishment and less distraction and social control strategies in general but not specifically during a body exposure task. Reappraisal strategies were equally likely to be used by clinical and non-clinical groups but participants with anorexia nervosa (AN) found them less effective during the task. Non-ED participants found distraction strategies more effective than the ED group for managing the body exposure experience. ED subgroups used avoidant/suppressive strategies and cognitive reappraisal strategies to a similar extent. CONCLUSION: The use of maladaptive self-regulation strategies, and the use and effectiveness of some of the more adaptive self-regulation strategies sets eating disorders apart from those without an eating disorder, supporting previous research in the area. Contrary to what was predicted, the results were similar across ED subgroups. The findings highlight the importance of cognitive self-regulation strategies as a focus of research and clinical intervention. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III: Case-control study.

Recruiting young women to weight management programs: Barriers and enablers.

AIM: Recruiting young women to weight management research programs is difficult. The purpose of this study was to gain insights into the barriers and motivators that influence participation and to explore effective methods of recruitment from the perspective of young women with obesity living in both urban and regional areas. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were used to elicit information from focus groups. The interviews were transcribed, coded and analysed qualitatively. Eight focus groups, which included a total of 27 women, were conducted. Participants had a mean age of 29.1 (±5.1) years and a mean body mass index of 35.8 (±2.9) kg/m2 . RESULTS: The barriers to participation were multifaceted and largely similar across urban and regional participants. Fear of judgement and uncertainty about the process were major psychosocial barriers. A lack of tailoring of program content was an important program-related barrier. Physical barriers such as time commitment, cost and access were discussed extensively, particularly in urban groups. The provision of incentives and the use of positive language that focusses on the benefits of the intervention were viewed positively. Physical and virtual methods of recruitment were identified as potentially effective provided they were presented in media that this group is likely to use and can access in a private location. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provide a greater understanding of the challenges faced by young women in relation to participation in weight management programs and some of the potential methods that could be utilised to facilitate participation.