Research – DHP Internship: from unhelpful to helpful: the role of Implementation-Intentions in a weight-loss intervention

Background
: This research aimed to identify what barriers and resources obese individuals use within a theory-based weight loss intervention using the theory of Implementation-Intentions (Gollwitzer, 1993).

Method
The qualitative aspect of this study is part of a wider research project which addressed a total of 12 adult women who were clinically obese with a mean BMI of 34.50 (SD=4.91). All participants completed a person-centred ‘If-Then’ planning tool using categories relating to ‘people’, ‘places and things’, and ‘thoughts and feelings’, drawn from the NHS Health Trainer Manual (Michie et al. 2004).

Findings
Content analysis revealed that negative emotions including depression, feeling lonely and boredom were the most common themes of triggers to overeating. Analysis also revealed how lack of structure was a key theme that also contributed to maladaptive eating patterns. Further to this it appears that the most common themes of resources to help counterbalance unhelpful factors that influence eating included simple activities such as painting and going for a walk.

Discussion
This study reveals that asking clients to draw on positive aspects of ‘people’, ‘thoughts and feelings’ and ‘places and things’ around them can act as a goodresource for overweight women to enhance both mood and weight loss. Suggestions are made for future self-help tools to consider how simple pleasures can counteract potential triggers to overeating and barriers to success