Traditional weight loss interventions based on the principle “eat less, move more” often lead to weight regain in the long-term. The Health-At-Every-Size® (HAES®) is an alternative intervention that focuses on self-acceptance, intuitive eating, and physical activity for overall well-being. However, evidence on the effectiveness of HAES® in terms of weight loss remains sparse and the existing systematic reviews did not compare the short-term versus long-term effects. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the effectiveness of HAES® on short- and long-term weight loss in people with obesity and overweight. Five scientific databases were searched and 11 papers met the inclusion criteria. These studies were conducted in Canada, United States, Brazil, and the United Kingdom, only with female participants, and in a group-setting. Six out of ten studies with short-term follow-ups (<1y) and four out of seven studies with long-term follow-ups (>1y) reported significant weight reductions in the HAES®-group compared to the pre-intervention baseline. There were no consistent weight reduction effects when HAES® was compared to control groups (waiting list, social support, or traditional dieting). Interestingly, some studies found significant benefits of HAES® on health-outcomes, eating behaviors, or psychological functioning. In conclusion, there is only modest evidence that HAES® facilitates weight loss short-term or long-term. However, there are behavioral and psychological benefits of HAES®, which suggests that combining this method with traditional weight loss interventions could result in optimal outcomes.

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[pt] As escolhas alimentares humanas são complexas e estão condicionadas por variáveis biológicas, sociais, culturais, históricas e psicológicas. Esta dissertação teve como objetivo investigar aspectos psicológicos das escolhas alimentares, como as motivações e os fatores da personalidade, e suas relações com a saúde psicológica. Para isso, foram apresentados três artigos. O primeiro, testa as relações entre as escolhas alimentares, os cinco grandes fatores da personalidade e a saúde psicológica em uma amostra brasileira. O segundo investiga diferenças em aspectos da personalidade e saúde psicológica em diferentes grupos dietéticos. O terceiro apresenta relações entre as motivações para as escolhas alimentares e os cinco grandes fatores da personalidade. De forma geral, os resultados apresentados são condizentes com estudos internacionais anteriores. No primeiro artigo, destacam-se relações positivas entre abertura a experiência, conscienciosidade e saúde psicológica com o consumo de frutas e vegetais. No segundo artigo, não foram encontradas diferenças esperadas em traços de personalidade em diferentes grupos de dieta. No terceiro artigo, foram encontradas relações esperadas entre o fator conscienciosidade e motivos para as escolhas alimentares, além da relação positiva do fator humor e o neuroticismo. Espera-se que esses resultados contribuam de maneira significativa para a literatura sobre os temas abordados, além de prover aplicações terapêuticas valiosas para psicólogos, nutricionistas e nutrólogos no exercício de suas profissões. Entendendo as relações entre personalidade, motivos para as escolhas alimentares e suas relações com a saúde psicológica, é possível pensar em estratégias personalizadas que podem ser mais adequadas as necessidades de cada paciente no que diz respeito a suas próprias escolhas alimentares, promovendo um estilo de vida mais saudável de forma geral. / [en] Human food choices are complex and are conditioned by biological, social, cultural, historical and psychological variables. This dissertation aimed to investigate psychological aspects of food choices, such as motivations and personality factors, and their relationships with psychological health. For this, three articles were presented. The first tests the relationships between food choices, the big five personality factors and psychological health in a Brazilian sample. The second investigates differences in aspects of personality and psychological health in different dietary groups. The third presents relationships between motivations for food choices and the five major personality factors. In general, the results presented are consistent with previous international studies. In the first article, positive relationships are highlighted between openness to experience, awareness and psychological health with the consumption of fruits and vegetables. In the second article, no expected differences in personality traits were found across different diet groups. In the third article, expected relationships were found between the consciousness factor and reasons for food choices, in addition to the positive relationship between the humor factor and neuroticism. It is expected that these results will contribute significantly to the literature on the topics involved, in addition to providing valuable therapeutic applications for psychologists, nutritionists and nutritionists in the exercise of their professions. Understanding the relationships between personalities, reasons for food choices and their psychological relationships with health, it is possible to think of personalized strategies that can be more personalized according to the needs of each patient, with regard to their own food choices, promoting a style healthier lifestyle in general.

The early adult years are critical as they provide the final window of opportunity to maximize peak bone mass and help prevent osteoporosis later in life. Dietary habits of young women are often molded by social pressures to be thin. Negative implications for cognitive eating restraint (CER) on bone health have been shown, but direct evidence to support such contentions is limited. Therefore, this study was conducted to further investigate the relationships between CER and bone health in young women. Women aged 18 to 25 years with normal body mass index and limited physical activity participated in this study. Body composition and anthropometric variables, dietary intake, endocrine factors, biomarkers of bone turnover, and measurements of bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) were examined cross-sectionally in women with high (n = 31) and low (n = 34) CER scores. High CER participants possessed more fat mass (FM) (p < 0.05) and percent body fat (BF%) (p = 0.01) and consumed a greater number of servings of fruits and vegetables (p < 0.05) per day than the CER participants. No differences in biochemical measurements, BMC or BMD were found between groups. Using similar methods, a study was conducted to compare high (n = 27) and low (n = 26) CER groups at baseline and after 6-months. At baseline, the high CER group possessed significantly higher FM (p < 0.05) and BF% (p = 0.01) and lower biochemical markers of bone formation (p < 0.05) than the low CER group; no other group differences were apparent at baseline. Using repeated measures ANOVA, a significant Group x Time interaction was identified for salivary cortisol concentrations (p < 0.05). Mean salivary cortisol concentrations were significantly lower at 6-months versus baseline in the high CER group (p < 0.05) but did not differ between time points in the low CER group. No other significant Group x Time interactions were found. Overall, despite finding a lower serum osteocalcin concentration in the high CER group at baseline, evidence of compromised BMC or BMD between women with high versus low CER scores over 6 months was not found. / Ph. D.

Little is known regarding the nutrition and health implications of chronic dieting in college-women. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine nutrient intakes, zinc status, and immune system status in 19-24 year-old college women consuming different energy intakes. A suboptimal group (SG) (n=9), with a chronic suboptimal energy intake of ≤70% of the RDA, was matched for partial energy output to a control group (CG) (n=9), with a chronic optimal energy intake of ≥90% of the RDA. Zinc status was assessed using plasma zinc, red blood cell (RBC) zinc, and RBC fragility. Immune system status was assessed using IgG, IgM, C3, % T cell, and % lymphocyte. The SG consumed significantly lower intakes of macronutrients and several micronutrients than the CG (p<.05). Nutrient intakes in the SG, ≤70% of the RDA, were energy, carbohydrate, fat, vitamin D, calcium, iron, zinc, and copper; but only vitamin D and zinc in the CG. Zinc status and immune system status were not significantly different between the two groups (p>.05). No correlations were found between zinc intake and the zinc status markers, suggesting that the markers were not sensitive indicators. In the SG only, significant positive correlations were found between intakes of energy, macronutrients, and zinc, and one or more of the immune components (p<.05). These findings suggest that although the apparent immune system status was not altered by a suboptimal energy intake, in an inadequate energy intake, immune system status reflected nutrient intakes. / Master of Science

The possibility that faulty expectations about success and relapse recovery contributed to poor adherence was examined in this study. Support for such an expectancy model was sought through comparing an index of relative task magnitude to adherence rates. Instructions designed to improve adherence through changing expectations about relapse and relapse recovery were also administered to 46 clients in two clinical nutritional programs. Their adherence rates <in days) were compared to the rates obtained from the records of 64 other clients who did not receive the instructions. To further understand the adherence phenomenon, several other measures were obtained from the treatment subjects. These data were compared to adherence rates in an attempt to identify potential co-variate relationships. Statistical procedures including analysis of variance to determine comparability of subject groups, Pearson Product Moment correlations, t tests of the difference between means, and the Lawshe—Baker Nomograph comparing per cent adherence rates were performed on the data. Obtained results did not support the predicted relationship between relative task magnitude and adherence. This may have been due to differences between subjective assessments of task magnitude and the objective measure used in this study. Although improvement in adherence was noted in both treatment groups, statistical significance was achieved only in the university based clinic. Differences in the settings, assisting nutritionists, and participating subjects could have produced these findings. However, because improvement did occur in both settings, and because the techniques may be easily and inexpensively utilized by clinical nutritionists, these instructions were recommended for inclusion as a routine component of nutritional clinic procedures. No strong co-variate relationships were found between adherence and the additional measures included in the study. The only variables which correlated with adherence more than trivially, emotional response to a verbal food stimulus, and imaging ability, did lend support for this cognitively active method of improving adherence.

本研究以台北市、台南市之女性人口為研究對象，針對台灣地區女性探討外表吸引力、自我監控與瘦身美容消費行為間的關係，目的在：一、了解台灣地區女性使用瘦身美容方式及產品的消費行為及外表吸引力知覺的現況；二、探討台灣地區女性外表吸引力知覺、自我監控及人口統計變項與其使用瘦身美容方式及產品的消費行為關係；三、探討台灣地區女性人口統計變項、自我監控與其外表吸引知覺的關係；四、提供瘦身美容相關產業制定行銷策略的建議。 　　本研究所採用的研究工具包括「瘦身美容消費行為量表」、「外表知覺量表」、「身體滿意度量表」、「俊男美女自覺量表」及「自我監控量表」。研究中所使用的統計方法包括因素分析、皮爾森積差相關、單因子多變量變異數分析、典型相關及t考驗。 　　本研究結果如下： 　　一、瘦身美容消費行為現況： 　　消費者最常使用保養、色彩化粧品，且每月願意花費3335元購買這類產品，其次為利用運動來達到瘦身美容的目的，不過，消費者對於使用手術、吃藥的方式來達到瘦身美容目的，仍舊是使用機率不大，因此消費者依然是使用較為一般性的瘦身美容方式及產品來達瘦身美容效果的目的。 　　二、外表吸引力現況： 　　台灣地區女性認為外表長得好看，對人際交往及事業成功是有利的，而且對於重視外表方面，態度是傾向於大致上同意，認為自己擁有特色、氣質及魅力，但卻不認為自己長得好看，且覺得自己胖了些，並擔心自己變胖，並認為自己符合內在美及柔性外在美特質。 　　三、瘦身美容消費行為與外表吸引力之關係： 　　重度使用瘦身美容相關產品的女性對於自己外表吸引力知覺為：重視外表、在乎外表、體重意識高，即認為自己過重，也愈怕胖，認為自己較符合剛性外在美，外表對於事業或人際的發展，佔重要的地位。 　　四、瘦身美容消費行為與自我監控之關係： 　　高自我監控者，較不會使用瘦身美容相關產品，相對的，低自我監控者，較會使用瘦身美容產品。 　　五、瘦身美容消費行為與人口統計變項之關係： 　　重度使用瘦身美容相關產品之人口統計變項為：產品25~39歲，教育程度為大學，每月可支配金錢為100,000元以上，婚友狀況為有異性朋友但不固定，或已婚或曾結過婚，從事自由業或為自營企業負責人之女性，工作中，常須與人面對面接觸，接觸對象以男性為主，應工作需要，外表佔重要或非常重要的角色。 　　六、外表吸引力與人口統計變項之關係： 　　外表吸引力知覺在「外表知覺」、「身體滿意度」及「俊男美女自覺」呈現不同方向的相關係。 　　七、瘦身美容消費行為與外表吸引力、自我監控、人口統計變項有典型相關。

This study explores the association between media exposure and women’s body perceptions in Egypt. The thin ideal perpetuated through the media, eating disorders and body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness were thought to be a culturally linked phenomena confined to Western societies. This study has contributed to the debate on cultural determinism of eating disorders and body dissatisfaction in women as it has shown that these concepts are on the rise in non-Western societies in general and Egypt in specific. When exposed to media messages, women in Egypt demonstrated eating disordered attitudes, body dissatisfaction feelings and also chose other compensatory behaviors such as veiling, fasting, and following diet.

Highly palatable and/or calorically dense foods, such as those rich in fat, engage the striatum to govern and set complex behaviors. Striatal dopamine signaling has been implicated in hedonic feeding and the development of obesity. Dieting and bariatric surgery have markedly different outcomes on weight loss, yet how these interventions affect central homeostatic and food reward processing remains poorly understood. Here, we propose that dieting and gastric bypass produce distinct changes in peripheral factors with known roles in regulating energy homeostasis, resulting in differential modulation of nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopaminergic reward circuits. Enhancement of intestinal fat metabolism after gastric bypass may also modify striatal dopamine signaling contributing to its unique long-term effects on feeding behavior and body weight in obese individuals.

Highly palatable and/or calorically dense foods, such as those rich in fat, engage the striatum to govern and set complex behaviors. Striatal dopamine signaling has been implicated in hedonic feeding and the development of obesity. Dieting and bariatric surgery have markedly different outcomes on weight loss, yet how these interventions affect central homeostatic and food reward processing remains poorly understood. Here, we propose that dieting and gastric bypass produce distinct changes in peripheral factors with known roles in regulating energy homeostasis, resulting in differential modulation of nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopaminergic reward circuits. Enhancement of intestinal fat metabolism after gastric bypass may also modify striatal dopamine signaling contributing to its unique long-term effects on feeding behavior and body weight in obese individuals.