Preliminary findings of how visual demonstrations of changes to physical appearance may enhance weight loss attempts

Moyez Jiwa; Oksana Burford; Richard Parsons

doi:10.1093/eurpub/cku249

Preliminary findings of how visual demonstrations of changes to physical appearance may enhance weight loss attempts

Eur J Public Health. 2015 Apr;25(2):283-5. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/cku249. Epub 2015 Feb 1.

Authors

Moyez Jiwa¹, Oksana Burford², Richard Parsons²

Affiliations

¹ 1 Department of Medical Education, Curtin University, Perth 6845, WA, Australia m.jiwa@curtin.edu.au.
² 1 Department of Medical Education, Curtin University, Perth 6845, WA, Australia.

PMID: 25644139
DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/cku249

Abstract

This study reports how showing a person an illustration of themselves following future weight-loss might impact on their actual future weight-loss. Weight was recorded weekly, 8 weeks before and 8 weeks after the intervention. A significant proportion of the 44 participants lost weight following the intervention: 17 vs. 29 (P = 0.01, chi-squared = 6.559). After the first 8 weeks, the mean change in weight was -0.32 kg [standard deviation (SD): 2.2, P = 0.37]. The weight change after the second 8 weeks was -0.94 kg (SD: 1.7, P = 0.001). The mean difference in weight losses between the two periods was -0.62 kg (SD: 2.1, P = 0.08).

Publication types

Clinical Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Australia
Diet, Reducing / psychology
Exercise / psychology
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Obesity / psychology*
Photic Stimulation / methods
Physical Appearance, Body*
Weight Loss*