Long-term effects of imaginal retraining in overweight and obesity: A controlled study

Josefine Gehlenborg; Anja S Göritz; Steffen Moritz; Simone Kühn

doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2022.101794

Long-term effects of imaginal retraining in overweight and obesity: A controlled study

Standard

Long-term effects of imaginal retraining in overweight and obesity: A controlled study. / Gehlenborg, Josefine; Göritz, Anja S; Moritz, Steffen ; Kühn, Simone.

In: J BEHAV THER EXP PSY, Vol. 78, 101794, 03.2022.

Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Gehlenborg, J, Göritz, AS, Moritz, S & Kühn, S 2022, 'Long-term effects of imaginal retraining in overweight and obesity: A controlled study', J BEHAV THER EXP PSY, vol. 78, 101794. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2022.101794

APA

Gehlenborg, J., Göritz, A. S., Moritz, S., & Kühn, S. (2022). Long-term effects of imaginal retraining in overweight and obesity: A controlled study. J BEHAV THER EXP PSY, 78, [101794]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2022.101794

Vancouver

Gehlenborg J, Göritz AS, Moritz S , Kühn S. Long-term effects of imaginal retraining in overweight and obesity: A controlled study. J BEHAV THER EXP PSY. 2022 Mar;78. 101794. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2022.101794

Bibtex

@article{83cd8fd0b13643d9902fa0df1e9751e4,

title = "Long-term effects of imaginal retraining in overweight and obesity: A controlled study",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Imaginal retraining (IR) is a self-help technique that targets automatic approach tendencies toward appetitive stimuli. In a randomized controlled trial (RCT; N = 384), IR reduced craving for high-calorie foods after a six-week intervention period (small effect). The aim of the present study was to evaluate long-term effects of IR in this sample.METHODS: One year after baseline, participants from the initial RCT were recontacted. A visual analogue scale measuring craving, the Food Cravings Questionnaire-Trait-reduced (FCQ-T-r), the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, quality of life, and subjective appraisal of the intervention were assessed online. Participants were classified as users or nonusers based on self-reported usage of IR over the previous year.RESULTS: Linear-mixed models showed no significant interaction effects of time and group for any outcome (trend level effects were found for two subscales of the FCQ-T-r). Yet, higher usage of IR was associated with greater symptom reduction. Although overall subjective appraisal of the intervention was comparably good to the initial study, usage of IR and completion rate were unsatisfactory.LIMITATIONS: Main limitations of the present study include the nonrandomized group allocation and the low completion rate.CONCLUSIONS: This study did not find evidence for the long-term efficacy of IR in individuals with craving for high-calorie foods. Only upon high usage of IR, improvement was found. However, low completion rate and usage of the intervention may have resulted in a Type-II error. Future studies may consider low-intensity professional guidance to increase adherence and assess the long-term effects of IR in RCTs.",

keywords = "Humans, Overweight/therapy, Quality of Life, Obesity, Craving, Surveys and Questionnaires",

author = "Josefine Gehlenborg and G{\"o}ritz, {Anja S} and Steffen Moritz and Simone K{\"u}hn",

year = "2022",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1016/j.jbtep.2022.101794",

language = "English",

volume = "78",

journal = "J BEHAV THER EXP PSY",

issn = "0005-7916",

publisher = "Elsevier Limited",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Long-term effects of imaginal retraining in overweight and obesity: A controlled study

AU - Gehlenborg, Josefine

AU - Göritz, Anja S

AU - Moritz, Steffen

AU - Kühn, Simone

PY - 2022/3

Y1 - 2022/3

N2 - BACKGROUND: Imaginal retraining (IR) is a self-help technique that targets automatic approach tendencies toward appetitive stimuli. In a randomized controlled trial (RCT; N = 384), IR reduced craving for high-calorie foods after a six-week intervention period (small effect). The aim of the present study was to evaluate long-term effects of IR in this sample.METHODS: One year after baseline, participants from the initial RCT were recontacted. A visual analogue scale measuring craving, the Food Cravings Questionnaire-Trait-reduced (FCQ-T-r), the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, quality of life, and subjective appraisal of the intervention were assessed online. Participants were classified as users or nonusers based on self-reported usage of IR over the previous year.RESULTS: Linear-mixed models showed no significant interaction effects of time and group for any outcome (trend level effects were found for two subscales of the FCQ-T-r). Yet, higher usage of IR was associated with greater symptom reduction. Although overall subjective appraisal of the intervention was comparably good to the initial study, usage of IR and completion rate were unsatisfactory.LIMITATIONS: Main limitations of the present study include the nonrandomized group allocation and the low completion rate.CONCLUSIONS: This study did not find evidence for the long-term efficacy of IR in individuals with craving for high-calorie foods. Only upon high usage of IR, improvement was found. However, low completion rate and usage of the intervention may have resulted in a Type-II error. Future studies may consider low-intensity professional guidance to increase adherence and assess the long-term effects of IR in RCTs.

AB - BACKGROUND: Imaginal retraining (IR) is a self-help technique that targets automatic approach tendencies toward appetitive stimuli. In a randomized controlled trial (RCT; N = 384), IR reduced craving for high-calorie foods after a six-week intervention period (small effect). The aim of the present study was to evaluate long-term effects of IR in this sample.METHODS: One year after baseline, participants from the initial RCT were recontacted. A visual analogue scale measuring craving, the Food Cravings Questionnaire-Trait-reduced (FCQ-T-r), the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, quality of life, and subjective appraisal of the intervention were assessed online. Participants were classified as users or nonusers based on self-reported usage of IR over the previous year.RESULTS: Linear-mixed models showed no significant interaction effects of time and group for any outcome (trend level effects were found for two subscales of the FCQ-T-r). Yet, higher usage of IR was associated with greater symptom reduction. Although overall subjective appraisal of the intervention was comparably good to the initial study, usage of IR and completion rate were unsatisfactory.LIMITATIONS: Main limitations of the present study include the nonrandomized group allocation and the low completion rate.CONCLUSIONS: This study did not find evidence for the long-term efficacy of IR in individuals with craving for high-calorie foods. Only upon high usage of IR, improvement was found. However, low completion rate and usage of the intervention may have resulted in a Type-II error. Future studies may consider low-intensity professional guidance to increase adherence and assess the long-term effects of IR in RCTs.

KW - Humans

KW - Overweight/therapy

KW - Quality of Life

KW - Obesity

KW - Craving

KW - Surveys and Questionnaires

U2 - 10.1016/j.jbtep.2022.101794

DO - 10.1016/j.jbtep.2022.101794

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 36435539

VL - 78

JO - J BEHAV THER EXP PSY

JF - J BEHAV THER EXP PSY

SN - 0005-7916

M1 - 101794

ER -