Exploring Beliefs and Behaviors About Weight Loss in Couples

Obesity Clinical Trial

Official title:

Exploring Beliefs and Behaviors About Weight Loss in Couples

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01777711
• Other study ID #: Pro00040490
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: January 25, 2013
• Last updated: September 25, 2014
• Start date: October 2012
• Est. completion date: April 2014

Study information

• Verified date: September 2014
• Source: Duke University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

This study explores among couples in which both members are obese how the use of mental contrasting along with implementation intentions influence intentions and behavior related to weight loss (eating healthy and exercise), actual weight loss, as well as potential reasons (i.e., mediators) why these changes may occur (e.g., social support, changes in beliefs about weight loss, confidence in being able to eat healthy and diet).

Description:

This study explores among couples in which both members are obese how the use of mental contrasting along with implementation intentions influence intentions and behaviors related to weight loss (eating healthy and exercise), actual weight loss, as well as potential reasons (i.e., mediators) why these changes may occur (e.g., social support, changes in beliefs about weight loss, confidence in being able to eat healthy and diet). In mental contrasting procedures, people first imagine a desired future (e.g., eating healthy) and then reflect on the current negative reality (e.g., I snack too much). This process makes people aware of changes needed in the present to obtain future positive outcomes, and thus aids in increasing goal commitment and goal pursuit. In implementation intention procedures, individuals form "if-then" statements about how they will enact their goals in their everyday lives. Implementation intentions are highly effective at helping individuals achieve health behavior change. Recent studies suggest that the combined use of mental contrasting and implementation intentions produce more behavior change than either technique alone (e.g., diet) In this study, investigators test whether these procedures vary in their effectiveness when couple members are instructed to focus on themselves versus the relationship, the latter intended to instill a communal coping mindset (i.e., that losing weight is an issue that needs to be addressed as a couple enacted through mutually cooperative behaviors).

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 140
• Est. completion date: April 2014
• Est. primary completion date: April 2014
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Married couples or couples living as married

• living in the same household for at least six months

• both members of couple are obese (BMI > 30).

• must be 18 years or older

• can read and write in English

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Obesity
• Weight Loss

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Mental Contrasting- Individual
Investigators will implement the manipulation of mental contrasting/implementation intentions, focusing on the individual. This will entail 3 steps that involve: 1) contrasting of positive future outcomes associated with present conditions that hinder achievement of positive future outcomes (i.e., barriers); 2) strategies to overcome barriers and hence facilitate weight loss; and 3) construction of implementation intentions.
• Mental Contrasting- Couple
Investigators will implement the manipulation of mental contrasting/implementation intentions, focusing on the couple. This will entail 3 steps that involve: 1) contrasting of positive future outcomes associated with present conditions that hinder achievement of positive future outcomes (i.e., barriers); 2) strategies to overcome barriers and hence facilitate weight loss; and 3) construction of implementation intentions.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Duke University Medical Center	Durham	North Carolina

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Duke University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	weight loss	Measure weight loss between baseline and one month visits	one month	No
Secondary	dietary changes	Look at dietary changes in self-report questionnaire.	one month	No
Secondary	number of minutes of physical activity	Measure minutes of physical activity through self-report questionnaire.	one month	No