Whole-person Integrative Eating: A Program for Treating Overeating, Overweight, and Obesity.

The whole-person integrative eating (WPIE) model and program provides insights into the underlying causes of overeating as well as a comprehensive program for treating overeating, overweight, and obesity. A wide range of guidelines on food and eating from ancient food wisdom from Eastern healing systems, world religions, and cultural traditions, as well as Western nutritional science, were distilled into 6 principles: (1) eat fresh, whole foods; (2) eat with positive feelings; (3) eat with mindfulness; (4) eat with gratitude; (5) eat with loving regard; and (6) eat while dining with others. To assess how well individuals follow these guidelines, an 80-item questionnaire was developed and administered to a large sample of 5256 Americans who participated in a 6-wk, 18-lesson online e-course on integrative eating. Based on a factor analysis of the items, 7 distinct overeating styles emerged that are opposite of the perennial principles: (1) emotional eating, (2) fast foodism, (3) food fretting, (4) task snacking, (5) sensory disregard, (6) unappetizing atmosphere, and (7) solo dining. All were significantly and independently related to overeating frequency, and 5 of the 7 were significantly related to being overweight or obese. The case study presented here demonstrates how a 64-y-old woman who struggled with obesity throughout adolescence and adulthood was able to replace her 7 overeating styles with the 6 perennial integrative-eating guidelines for optimal eating. At the beginning of the year's coaching intervention, Barbara weighed 107 kg and wore a size 3×; 1 y later, she weighed approximately 75 kg and wears a medium, size 12. She has attributed her weight loss to the wholeness of the integrative-eating program she practices.

Seven eating styles linked to overeating, overweight, and obesity.

OBJECTIVE: To broaden the perspective on the causes of overeating, overweight, and obesity and provide cross-cultural, comprehensive treatment approaches. BACKGROUND: Through food-related research into the world's wisdom traditions, cultural traditions, Eastern healing systems, and Western nutritional science, the authors present recurrent themes derived from ways in which cultures regarded, experienced, prepared, and shared food for millennia. DESIGN: An 80-item questionnaire, designed to measure food, nutrition, and eating themes was administered to 5,256 participants who registered for a Web-based integrative nutrition e-course. When the 80-items were factor analyzed separately in two randomly split halves of the sample as well as within age and sex categories, seven coherent and consistent factors or eating styles emerged. These eating styles were entered into a multiple regression analysis to predict overeating frequency and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: Each of the newly identified eating styles was independently related to self-reports of overeating frequency; five of the seven were significantly related to overweight and obesity. The eating styles include the following: (1) "Emotional Eating" (eating to manage feelings); (2) "Fresh Food, Fast Food" (eating mostly processed, high-calorie food; less fresh food); (3) "Food Fretting" (judgmental thoughts and overconcern about food); (4) "Task Snacking" (eating while doing other activities); (5) "Sensory, Spiritual Nourishment" ("flavoring" food with meaning); (6) "Eating Atmosphere" (dining aesthetics and surroundings); (7) "Social Fare" (eating alone vs with others). CONCLUSIONS: Further research is needed to assess the degree to which practicing and implementing these eating styles integratively will decrease overeating, overweight, and obesity.