Download Genetics / Biological Factors

Healthy Weight, Healthy
Eating:
Understanding and helping
individuals with weight- and
eating-related difficulties
Edie Goldbacher, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
La Salle University
An overview…
 Who
am I?
 What
is the context for trying to
understand, prevent and treat eatingand weight-related difficulties?
 What
 How
does this look like?
are we at La Salle contributing to
these efforts?
Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults
BRFSS, 1990, 2000, 2010
(*BMI 30, or about 30 lbs. overweight for 5’4” person)
2000
1990
2010
No Data
<10%
10%–14%
15%–19%
20%–24%
25%–29%
≥30%
The multifaceted nature of obesity
 Genetics
/ Biological Factors
 Environmental



Factors
Availability / cost of food / advertising
Portion sizes
Characteristics of the built environment
 Social
Factors
Social support
 Social / cultural / environmental
stress

Conscious Choices?
The multifaceted nature of obesity:
Behavioral Factors
 Mindless
/ unintentional eating
 Ineffective
eating patterns
 Sedentary
behaviors
 Ineffective
problem-solving
 Sensitivity
to environmental cues
Behavioral Weight Loss:
Not a diet, but a lifelong change






Self-monitoring  Pre-determined # of
sessions (12 – 20 weekly,
Goal setting
additional if needed)
Problem Pre-set time frame (50
minute)
solving
 Weekly weigh-ins
Stimulus
 Nutrition education
control
 Physical activity
Coping
 Behavior modification
Relapse
 Identify / modify unhelpful
thinking patterns
prevention
Self-Monitoring
I am going to
need more
information
…
Self Monitoring
Diet
Weight
Physical Activity
Stimulus control
Stimulus Control
 Learning
to pay attention to things that we
identify in the environment and how they
may alter eating habits.
 Pavlov's Dogs-
The multifaceted nature of obesity:
Psychological Factors
 Emotions

Alternatives
 Binge



eating
Approximately 1-5% of population
May be associated with weight loss difficulties
May require different / specialized treatment
approach (e.g., CBT)
 Other

/ stress
psychological factors
Psychological disorders
The multifaceted nature of
obesity: Bias / Discrimination
 Increased
by about 60% over past decade
 Omnipresent
 Common
stereotypes and attitudes
 Being
a victim is associated with physical
and psychological consequences
 Raise
awareness / educate
 Address
in treatment as precipitant
Our work at La Salle:
The community at large
La Salle University’s Community Psychological
Services: Healthy Eating, Healthy Weight clinic
 Low-cost,
sliding scale services
 Individual services



Eating and weight-difficulties
Individualized treatment
Improving treatment options, availability and
outcomes
 Weight
loss group
Our work at La Salle:
The university community
 Furthering
our understanding of factors
that contribute to eating and weight
difficulties in students

Emotional eating
 Examining
weight-related attitudes among
health care providers in student health
centers
 Promoting
change
awareness, sensitivity and
Interested in learning more?
 Yale’s

http://www.yaleruddcenter.org/
 The

Obesity Society
http://www.obesity.org/
 The

Rudd Food Center
Academy for Eating Disorders
http://aed-web.org/web/index.php
Questions?
Thank you!
[email protected]