Abstract
To better understand how psychological principles related to goal-setting and motivation can be applied to the problem of obesity and menopausal symptoms, we examined the effectiveness of a Small Changes Intervention (SCI) program on forty-five overweight (BMI = 33.67 ± 7.03) women (mean age = 50.14 ± 12.16). Grounded in task motivation theory (cf. Locke & Latham, 2002), our SCI group therapy approach instituted small and maintainable steps in nutrition and physical activity to promote weight loss and a reduction in menopausal symptoms. Body weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), and scores on the Greene Climacteric Scale were assessed at Baseline (pre-intervention), 3-month post-treatment, 6-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up. By the end of the 12-month study, 20 women were still participating and had lost, on average, 6.4% of their body weight, and had experienced a significant reduction in BMI, (BMI = 30.9 ± 6.13), providing further support for the SCI approach as an effective weight loss intervention method. Cross-sectional correlational analyses found expected associations between obesity and menopausal symptoms at the follow-up assessments. These relationships were especially strong by the last assessment period. Most importantly, menopausal symptoms decreased over the duration of the intervention. Taken together, these results suggest that the longitudinal impact of SCI on weight and BMI can have a positive impact on menopausal symptoms. These findings underscore the importance of applying well-researched social psychological principles in goal setting to the problem of obesity and menopausal symptoms. Furthermore, the results obtained from the SCI approach suggest that that while obese individuals may experience increased symptoms of menopause, the process of losing excess body weight through achievement of small, achievable goals has the potential to improve menopausal symptoms.
Highlights
Obesity is medically defined by the World Health Organization as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health, or more quantitatively, as the presence of a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30
This study examined how psychological principles related to goal-setting and motivation can be applied to a cognitive-behavioral program designed to reduce the long-term physical and psychological effects of obesity and menopausal symptoms in women
Goal setting and task motivation theory argues that successful formulation and implementation of specific, achievable and relevant goals, in a setting that affirms and increases self-efficacy through expert guidance, social support, and success (Latham, Winters, & Locke 1994; Wood & Bandura, 1989) are central to designing effective diet and exercise protocols
Summary
Obesity is medically defined by the World Health Organization as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health, or more quantitatively, as the presence of a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30 (kilograms in body weight divided by height in meters squared). Research from the National Weight Control Registry (www.nwcr.ws) has recently argued that longterm weight loss is not attainable by implementing a set of essentially unrealistic and unsustainable goals to reduce obesity including a temporary period of strict exercise and/or diet. Rather, they conclude that long-term weight loss should be a function of change in overall lifestyle. Applying the literature on goal setting and task motivation to the problem of obesity strongly suggests that diet and exercise interventions that allow individuals to set effective goals will be more successful in promoting healthy behavior (see Locke & Latham, 2002, for review). The SCI approach is an example of the effectiveness of applying psychological principles to the specific health problem of obesity
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