What impact does a lifestyle intervention have on emotions, stress, behaviour, motivation, self-image and weight?
- Title
- What impact does a lifestyle intervention have on emotions, stress, behaviour, motivation, self-image and weight?
- Creator
- Mulligan, Claudia
- Advisor
- Dr. Amy Harrison
- Abstract
- Background information: The rising prevalence and severity of obesity has resulted in the disease being branded as a worldwide epidemic. Therefore, the need for developing more effective weight loss treatments is urgent. Holistic lifestyle interventions may produce significant weight loss in obese individuals. Aim: To investigate whether a lifestyle intervention targeting several factors including emotions and stress had a positive impact on weight loss and maintenance. It was hypothesised that negative eating behaviours would significantly improve in the final month of treatment and they would also be maintained in the follow-up period of 6 months and that weight would reduce over the 3 time points. Participants: 56 male and female (M =18, F= 38) participants aged 21-75 (M = 48.16, SD = 12.28) provided data from before and after the intervention and 28 participants agreed to take part in the follow up period. Method: The study utilised a quantitative, longitudinal and non-experimental design. Participants completed the Laroque Obesity Questionnaire (LOQ) online in the clinic before and after the intervention. They were invited to re-take the LOQ questionnaire for the follow up period. Weight was measured across the three 3 time points. A repeated-measures ANOVA was used to test the hypotheses. Results: Findings fully supported the first hypothesis. The second hypothesis was partly supported as although positive outcomes were not fully maintained in the follow up period they did not return to original baseline. Conclusion: Obesity remains a major health concern, as those who do lose weight find maintaining it a challenge. This study can inform future studies by illustrating the effectiveness of certain weight loss programs. Schools could provide a class on healthy living as if children are educated from a young age perhaps the severity of obesity may not be so prevalent in adulthood. Findings may have been limited by sample size, the female dominant sample and the limited diversity in socio demographic status.
- Type
- Thesis & Dissertation
- Subject
- Psychology
- Lifestyle Intervention
- Extent
- 104 pages
- Format
- Publisher
- Regent's University London
- degree
- MSc Psychology
- Description
-
Dissertation submitted to Regent’s University London for the fulfilment of the Master of Science in Psychology Degree
- Date Issued
- 2016
- Rights Holder
- Regent's University London
