Weight Loss Expectations of Adults With Binge Eating: Cross-sectional Study With a Human-Centered Design Approach

Claire Voss, Jianyi Liu, Angela Chang, Jacqueline A. Kosmas, Abigail Biehl, Rebecca L. Flynn, Kaylee Kruzan, Jennifer E. Wildes, Andrea K. Graham

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: People tend to overestimate their expectations for weight loss relative to what is achievable in a typical evidence-based behavioral weight management program, which can impact treatment satisfaction and outcomes. We are engaged in formative research to design a digital intervention that addresses binge eating and weight management; thus, understanding expectations among this group can inform more engaging intervention designs to produce a digital intervention that can achieve greater clinical success. Studies examining weight loss expectations have primarily focused on people who have overweight or obesity. Only one study has investigated weight loss expectations among people with binge eating disorder, a population that frequently experiences elevated weight and shape concerns and often presents to treatment with the goal of losing weight. Objective: The aim of the study is to investigate differences in weight loss expectations among people with varying levels of binge eating to inform the design of a digital intervention for binge eating and weight management. Such an evaluation may be crucial for people presenting for a digital intervention, given that engagement and dropout are notable problems for digital behavior change interventions. We tested the hypotheses that (1) people who endorsed some or recurrent binge eating would expect to lose more weight than those who did not endorse binge eating and (2) people who endorsed a more severe versus a low or moderate overvaluation of weight and shape would have higher weight loss expectations. Methods: A total of 760 adults (n=504, 66% female; n=441, 58% non-Hispanic White) completed a web-based screening questionnaire. One-way ANOVAs were conducted to explore weight loss expectations for binge eating status as well as overvaluation of shape and weight. Results: Weight loss expectations significantly differed by binge eating status. Those who endorsed some and recurrent binge eating expected to lose more weight than those who endorsed no binge eating. Participants with severe overvaluation of weight or shape expected to lose the most weight compared to those with low or moderate levels of overvaluation of weight and shape. Conclusions: In the sample, people interested in a study to inform a digital intervention for binge eating and weight management overestimated their expectations for weight loss. Given that weight loss expectations can impact treatment completion and success, it may be important to assess and modify weight loss expectations among people with binge eating prior to enrolling in a digital intervention. Future work should design and test features that can modify these expectations relative to individuals’ intended treatment goals to facilitate engagement and successful outcomes in a digital intervention.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere40506
JournalJMIR Formative Research
Volume7
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023

Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (K01 DK116925) and the National Institute of Mental Health (T32 MH115882). Portions of this work have been previously presented at the 2021 Eating Disorders Research Society Annual Meeting, September 17, 2021.

Keywords

  • KEYWORDS binge eating
  • behavioral change
  • digital intervention
  • eating disorder
  • human-centered design
  • obesity
  • overvaluation of weight and shape
  • overweight
  • user expectations
  • weight loss
  • weight loss expectations

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Health Informatics
  • Medicine (miscellaneous)

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