Reduction of overweight and eating disorder symptoms via the Internet in adolescents: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Overweight in adolescence is a significant problem which is associated with body dissatisfaction and eating disorder (ED) behaviors. Cost-effective methods for early intervention of obesity and prevention of ED are important because of the refractory nature of both. This multisite RCT evaluated an Internet-delivered program targeting weight loss and ED attitudes/behaviors in adolescents. METHODS: A total of 80 overweight adolescents 12-17 years of age completed Student Bodies 2 (SB2), a 16-week cognitive-behavioral program, or usual care (UC). RESULTS: Body mass index (BMI) z-scores were reduced in the SB2 group compared with the UC group from baseline to post-intervention (p = .027; eta(p)(2) = .08). The SB2 group maintained this reduction in BMI z-scores at 4-month follow-up, but significant differences were not observed because of improvement in the UC group. The SB2 group evidenced greater increases in dietary restraint post-intervention (p = .016) and less improvement on shape concerns at follow-up (p = .044); however these differences were not clinically significant. No other statistically significant differences were noted between groups on ED attitudes or behaviors. The SB2 participants reported using healthy eating-related and physical activity-related skills more frequently than UC participants post-intervention (p = .001) and follow-up (p = .012). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that an Internet-delivered intervention yielded a modest reduction in weight status that continued 4 months after treatment and that ED attitudes/behaviors were not significantly improved. Group differences on weight loss were not sustained at 4-month follow-up because of parallel improvements in the groups. Future studies are needed to improve program adherence and to further explore the efficacy of Internet-delivery of weight control programs for adolescents.

Do adherence variables predict outcome in an online program for the prevention of eating disorders?

Unlike traditional interventions, Internet interventions allow for objective tracking and examination of the usage of program components. Student Bodies (SB), an online eating disorder (ED) prevention program, significantly reduced ED attitudes/behaviors in college-aged women with high body image concerns, and reduced the development of EDs in some higher risk subgroups. The authors investigated how adherence measures were associated with ED attitudes and behaviors after treatment. Female SB participants (n = 209) completed the Eating Disorders Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q; C. G. Fairburn & S. J. Beglin, 1994) at baseline, posttreatment, and 1-year follow-up. Total weeks participation and frequency of utilizing the online Web pages/journals predicted pre- to posttreatment changes in EDE-Q Restraint but not in other ED symptoms. In participants with some compensatory behaviors, discussion board and booster session use were associated with increased weight/shape concerns during follow-up. In overweight participants, higher online Web page/journal use was related to decreased EDE-Q Eating Concern scores during follow-up. This is the first study to investigate the relationship between adherence to specific program components and outcome in a successful Internet-based intervention. Results can be used to inform future development and tailoring of prevention interventions to maximize effectiveness and facilitate dissemination.

Maintenance of internet-based prevention: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Excessive weight or shape concerns and dieting are among the most important and well-established risk factors for the development of symptoms of disordered eating or full-syndrome eating disorders. Prevention programs should therefore target these factors in order to reduce the likelihood of developing an eating disorder. The aims of this study were to determine the short-term and maintenance effects of an internet-based prevention program for eating disorders. METHOD: One hundred female students at two German universities were randomly assigned to either an 8-week intervention or a waiting-list control condition and assessed at preintervention, postintervention, and 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the intervention produced significant and sustained effects for high-risk women. CONCLUSION: Internet-based prevention is effective and can be successfully adapted to a different culture.

A pilot study of an interactive web site in the workplace for reducing alcohol consumption.

An interactive web-site-based intervention for reducing alcohol consumption was pilot tested. Participants were 145 employees of a work site in the Silicon Valley region of California, categorized as low or moderate risk for alcohol problems. All participants were given access to a web site that provided feedback on their levels of stress and use of coping strategies. Participants randomized to the full individualized feedback condition also received individualized feedback about their risk for alcohol-related problems. Some evidence was found for greater alcohol reduction among participants who received full individualized feedback, although due to difficulties in recruiting participants, the sample size was inadequate for evaluating treatment effects on drinking. The results provide preliminary support for using an interactive web site to provide individualized feedback for persons at risk for alcohol problems. However, the low participation rate (2.7%) suggests that such an intervention must address the challenges of recruiting employees through their work site.

The adverse effect of negative comments about weight and shape from family and siblings on women at high risk for eating disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose with this work was to examine the relationship between negative comments about weight, shape, and eating and social adjustment, social support, self-esteem, and perceived childhood abuse and neglect. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted with 455 college women with high weight and shape concerns, who participated in an Internet-based eating disorder prevention program. Baseline assessments included: perceived family negative comments about weight, shape, and eating; social adjustment; social support; self-esteem; and childhood abuse and neglect. Participants identified 1 of 7 figures representing their maximum body size before age 18 and parental maximum body size. RESULTS: More than 80% of the sample reported some parental or sibling negative comments about their weight and shape or eating. Parental and sibling negative comments were positively associated with maximum childhood body size, larger reported paternal body size, and minority status. On subscales of emotional abuse and neglect, most participants scored above the median, and nearly one third scored above the 90th percentile. In a multivariate analysis, greater parental negative comments were directly related to higher reported emotional abuse and neglect. Maximum body size was also related to emotional neglect. Parental negative comments were associated with lower reported social support by family and lower self-esteem. CONCLUSIONS: In college women with high weight and shape concerns, retrospective reports of negative comments about weight, shape, and eating were associated with higher scores on subscales of emotional abuse and neglect. This study provides additional evidence that family criticism results in long-lasting, negative effects.

Prevention of eating disorders in at-risk college-age women.

CONTEXT: Eating disorders, an important health problem among college-age women, may be preventable, given that modifiable risk factors for eating disorders have been identified and interventions have been evaluated to reduce these risk factors. OBJECTIVE: To determine if an Internet-based psychosocial intervention can prevent the onset of eating disorders (EDs) in young women at risk for developing EDs. SETTING: San Diego and the San Francisco Bay Area in California. PARTICIPANTS: College-age women with high weight and shape concerns were recruited via campus e-mails, posters, and mass media. Six hundred thirty-seven eligible participants were identified, of whom 157 were excluded, for a total sample of 480. Recruitment occurred between November 13, 2000, and October 10, 2003. Intervention A randomized controlled trial of an 8-week, Internet-based cognitive-behavioral intervention (Student Bodies) that included a moderated online discussion group. Participants were studied for up to 3 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measure was time to onset of a subclinical or clinical ED. Secondary measures included change in scores on the Weight Concerns Scale, Global Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, and Eating Disorder Inventory drive for thinness and bulimia subscales and depressed mood. Moderators of outcome were examined. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in Weight Concerns Scale scores in the Student Bodies intervention group compared with the control group at postintervention (P < .001), 1 year (P < .001), and 2 years (P < .001). The slope for reducing Weight Concerns Scale score was significantly greater in the treatment compared with the control group (P = .02). Over the course of follow-up, 43 participants developed subclinical or clinical EDs. While there was no overall significant difference in onset of EDs between the intervention and control groups, the intervention significantly reduced the onset of EDs in 2 subgroups identified through moderator analyses: (1) participants with an elevated body mass index (BMI) (> or =25, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) at baseline and (2) at 1 site, participants with baseline compensatory behaviors (eg, self-induced vomiting, laxative use, diuretic use, diet pill use, driven exercise). No intervention participant with an elevated baseline BMI developed an ED, while the rates of onset of ED in the comparable BMI control group (based on survival analysis) were 4.7% at 1 year and 11.9% at 2 years. In the subgroup with a BMI of 25 or higher, the cumulative survival incidence was significantly lower at 2 years for the intervention compared with the control group (95% confidence interval, 0% for intervention group; 2.7% to 21.1% for control group). For the San Francisco Bay Area site sample with baseline compensatory behaviors, 4% of participants in the intervention group developed EDs at 1 year and 14.4%, by 2 years. Rates for the comparable control group were 16% and 30.4%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Among college-age women with high weight and shape concerns, an 8-week, Internet-based cognitive-behavioral intervention can significantly reduce weight and shape concerns for up to 2 years and decrease risk for the onset of EDs, at least in some high-risk groups. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that EDs can be prevented in high-risk groups.

Use of diet pills and other dieting aids in a college population with high weight and shape concerns.

OBJECTIVE: The current study examines diet aid use among college women at risk for eating disorders and explores characteristics associated with diet aid use. METHOD: Participants were 484 college women<30 years from 6 universities in the San Francisco Bay Area (SF) and San Diego who were at risk for developing eating disorders. A checklist assessed diet pill, fat blocker, diuretic, laxative, and other diet aid use over the past 12 months. RESULTS: Thirty-two percent of the college women reported using a diet aid. Diet aid use was double the rate in San Diego (44%) compared with SF (22%) (p=.000). Weight and shape concerns were higher among diet aid users than among nonusers across sites. CONCLUSION: A significant number of college women at risk for eating disorders are using diet aids. We recommend that clinicians inquire about diet aid use among college-aged patients.

Application of an algorithm-driven protocol to simultaneously provide universal and targeted prevention programs.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to develop a model to simultaneously prevent eating disorders and weight gain among female high school students. METHOD: Of 188 female 10th graders enrolled in health classes, 174 elected to participate in the current study. They were assessed on-line and decided to participate in one of four interventions appropriate to their risk. RESULTS: The algorithm identified 111 no-risk (NR), 36 eating disorder risk (EDR), 16 overweight risk (OR), and 5 both risks. Fifty-six percent of the EDR and 50% of the OR groups elected to receive the recommended targeted curricula. Significant improvements in weight and shape concerns were observed in all groups. DISCUSSION: An Internet-delivered program can be used to assess risk and provide simultaneous universal and targeted interventions in classroom settings.

An interactive psychoeducational intervention for women at risk of developing an eating disorder.

This study evaluated a synchronous Internet-delivered intervention (chat room) for improving eating habits and body image in college-age women at risk for developing an eating disorder. Sixty at-risk women (mean age = 18.9, SD = 2.4; 65.0% Caucasian, 19% Latino/Hispanic, 8% Asian/Pacific Islander, 3% African American, 5% other; mean body mass index = 25.6, SD = 5.7) were randomly assigned to intervention (n = 30) or control (n = 30) groups. Once a week for 8 weeks, participants used a private chat room for a 1-hr moderated discussion focused on improving body image and eating behaviors. Additional treatment components included psychoeducation, asynchronous support, homework, and summaries. Assessments were conducted at baseline, posttreatment, and 10 weeks after posttreatment. Participants indicated high satisfaction with the intervention mode. Intervention participants significantly reduced eating pathology and improved self-esteem over controls at follow-up. These findings suggest that synchronous, Internet-delivered programs are efficacious and have potential to reduce problematic attitudes and behaviors that may lead to eating disorders among college-age women.

An evaluation of an Internet-delivered eating disorder prevention program for adolescents and their parents.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of Student Bodies, an Internet-delivered eating disorder prevention program for adolescents, and a supplemental program for their parents. METHODS: One hundred fifty-two 10th grade females completing a health course at a private sectarian school, and 69 of their parents were assigned to either the Internet-delivered intervention group or to a comparison group (students) or wait-list control group (parents). Student participants completed subscales of the Eating Disorder Inventory, Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire, and a content knowledge test. Parents completed the Parental Attitudes and Criticism Scale. RESULTS: The main effects of the intervention were assessed pre- to post- and post- to follow-up using ANCOVA, with the baseline assessment of the independent variable as the covariate. Students using the program reported significantly reduced eating restraint and had significantly greater increases in knowledge than did students in the comparison group. However, there were no significant differences at follow-up. Parents significantly decreased their overall critical attitudes toward weight and shape. CONCLUSION: The program demonstrates the feasibility of providing an integrated program for students and their parents with short-term positive changes in parental attitudes toward weight and shape.

Combining universal and targeted prevention for school-based eating disorder programs.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined a step toward providing a universal prevention program to all students while targeting those at risk. METHOD: Seventy-eight 10th-grade female students were provided an on-line eating disorder prevention program and randomized to participate in (1) a higher risk and higher motivated group, (2) a lower risk or lower motivated group, or (3) a combined group. RESULTS: The students in the first group made significantly fewer negative and more positive comments in the on-line group discussion than the higher risk and higher motivated participants in the combined group. However, there were no differences among groups on outcome measures. DISCUSSION: The results suggest that, because it is relatively easy to provide interventions with separate groups, it seems appropriate to do so, if for no other reason than to minimize the few very negative comments that were posted by students that might have created an adverse environment for the higher risk-participants that the intervention specifically targets.

Evaluation of an internet support group for women with primary breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Women with breast carcinoma commonly experience psychologic distress following their diagnosis. Women who participate in breast cancer support groups have reported significant reduction in their psychologic distress and pain and improvement in the quality of their lives. Web-based breast cancer social support groups are widely used, but little is known of their effectiveness. Preliminary evidence suggests that women benefit from their participation in web-based support groups. METHODS: Seventy-two women with primary breast carcinoma were assigned randomly to a 12-week, web-based, social support group (Bosom Buddies). The group was semistructured, moderated by a health care professional, and delivered in an asynchronous newsgroup format. RESULTS: The results indicate that a web-based support group can be useful in reducing depression and cancer-related trauma, as well as perceived stress, among women with primary breast carcinoma. The effect sizes ranged from 0.38 to 0.54. Participants perceived a variety of benefits and high satisfaction from their participation in the intervention CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the web-based program, Bosom Buddies, was effective in reducing participants' scores on depression, perceived stress, and cancer-related trauma measures. The effect size of the intervention was in the moderate range. Although web-based social support groups offer many advantages, this delivery mechanism presents a number of ethical issues that need to be addressed.

Improving compliance in on-line, structured self-help programs: evaluation of an eating disorder prevention program.

Compliance rates from four iterations of Student Bodies, an 8-10 week computer assisted health education (CAHE) program for the prevention of eating disorders in college-aged women, were measured. Each iteration was modified with the hope of increasing participant compliance. Participants were 116 undergraduate women from two large West Coast universities who were randomly assigned to either the CAHE program or a wait-list group. Model 1 was delivered via CD-ROM, was anonymous, used an unstructured "grazing" approach, and participants received 10 dollars. Model 2 was web-based, had recommended assignments with telephone reminders, and participants received 25 dollars. Model 3 used a more structured approach to assignments. Model 4 eliminated anonymity, added an academic component, used email reminders, and offered course units as an incentive. Compliance was defined as percentage of screens read per number of screens assigned (n = 27-33). In Model 1, compliance was self-reported at 53%. In Models 2, 3, and 4, compliance, measured directly via computer logs, was 66%, 85%, and 84%, respectively. A Mann-Whitney test showed that the increase in compliance between Models 2 and 3 and Models 2 and 4 was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Compliance was significantly correlated with improvement on outcome. Suggestions for increasing compliance in other CAHE programs are offered.