Environmental Cues Assist in Weight Management

Abstract

Weight management and obesity research is extensive. Previously, our lab demonstrated enhanced weight loss for participants using a simple environmental cue. Specifically, participants placed brightly colored stickers with motivating weight loss sayings around their rooms, in their cars, and even on their wallets (participants were allowed to place the stickers wherever they liked). Participants that placed the cues in locations that they frequently encountered had significantly more weight loss compared to participants that had no such cues. In this follow up study, we employed a multiple baseline design whereby participants in the experimental group received the cues at various times during the experiment. If the cues were in fact impacting weight loss then we hypothesized that weight loss would be significantly enhanced only after the participants received their cues. Using this procedure we were able to confirm that weight loss across all participants was similar up until the introduction of the cues. Each week, a new group of participants received the cues and were allowed to use them for the remainder of the study. Results show that the introduction of the cues enhanced weight loss, regardless of which week the cues were introduced. Motivational factors may also play a role in these findings, however this study further supports the use of simple visual cues as a method of enhancing weight loss in adults.Support or Funding InformationThis research would not have been possible without the assistance of my undergraduate research team: Taz Watson, Martha Williams, Andrew DelCastillo, Scotty Dennis, & Shelley Rae Edwards.Special thanks to Millsaps College for supporting this research.