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A new look at the science of weight control: how acceptance and commitment strategies can address the challenge of self-regulation
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

A new look at the science of weight control: how acceptance and commitment strategies can address the challenge of self-regulation

Evan M Forman and Meghan L Butryn
Appetite, v 84, pp 171-180
Jan 2015
PMID: 25445199
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2014.10.004View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Eating - psychology Behavior Therapy Obesity - psychology Humans Cognition Motivation Obesity - etiology Appetite Cues Decision Making Attitude Models, Psychological Pleasure Energy Intake Health Behavior Exercise - psychology Hyperphagia - prevention & control Obesity - prevention & control Internal-External Control Diet - psychology Environment Feeding Behavior - psychology Hyperphagia - psychology Adaptation, Psychological Sedentary Behavior Social Control, Informal
The current manuscript proposes an acceptance-based, self-regulation framework for understanding the challenge of weight maintenance and describes how this framework can be integrated into the behavioral treatment of obesity. According to this framework, intrinsic drives to consume palatable, high-calorie food interact with a modern environment in which high calorie foods are easily accessible. This combination produces a chronic desire to eat unhealthy foods that exists in opposition to individuals' weight control goals. Similarly, low energy expenditure requirements reduce physical activity. We suggest that individuals vary in their responsivity to cues that motivate overeating and sedentary behavior, and that those higher in responsivity need specialized self-regulatory skills to maintain healthy eating and exercise behaviors. These skills include an ability to tolerate uncomfortable internal reactions to triggers and a reduction of pleasure, behavioral commitment to clearly-defined values, and metacognitive awareness of decision-making processes. So-called "acceptance-based" interventions based on these skills have so far proven efficacious for weight control, especially for those who are the most susceptible to eating in response to internal and external cues (as predicted by the model). Despite the current empirical support for the postulated model, much remains to be learned including whether acceptance-based interventions will prove efficacious in the longer-term.

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163 citations in Scopus

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being
#5 Gender Equality

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Web of Science research areas
Behavioral Sciences
Nutrition & Dietetics
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