Amy D. Ozier

Impact of Non-Diet Approaches on Attitudes, Behaviors, and Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE To determine the overall effect of non-diet, weight-neutral interventions on factors such as weight, biochemical measures, food and activity behavior, body image, and mental health. DESIGN Systematic review of intervention literature. SETTING Group classes in community and worksite settings (14 studies), and individual counseling (1) and online education (1) in college settings. PARTICIPANTS Eighteen research articles (representing 16 studies) evaluating non-diet interventions using quasi-experimental and randomized study designs with either a comparison or control group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Anthropometric, physiological, psychological, and dietary intake. ANALYSIS Systematic search of 168 articles and review of 18 articles meeting inclusionary criteria. RESULTS Non-diet interventions resulted in statistically significant improvements in disordered eating patterns, self-esteem, and depression. None of the interventions resulted in significant weight gain or worsening of blood pressure, blood glucose, or cholesterol, and in 2 studies biochemical measures improved significantly compared with the control or diet group. Primary limitations were inconsistent definitions of non-diet approaches and the use of different assessment instruments for measuring outcomes. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Because of the long-term ineffectiveness of weight-focused interventions, the psychological improvements seen in weight-neutral, non-diet interventions warrant further investigation.

Eating Behaviors: Prevalence, Psychiatric Comorbidity, and Associations With Body Mass Index Among Male and Female Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans

OBJECTIVE There is a dearth of research examining eating behaviors, such as binge eating, among male and female veterans. The present study evaluated the prevalence of self-reported eating problems as well as associations with body mass index and psychiatric disorders among male and female Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. METHODS Participants were 298 male and 364 female veterans (M = 33.3 ± 10.6 years old) from the Women Veterans Cohort Study, a study of male and female veterans enrolled for Veterans Affairs care in New England or Indiana. Veterans self-reported on emotion- and stress-related eating, eating disorder diagnoses, and disordered eating behaviors. Diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and alcohol abuse were obtained from administrative records. RESULTS Female veterans reported higher rates of eating problems than did their male counterparts. Women and men who engage in disordered eating had higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder, and women who engage in disordered eating had greater rates of alcohol abuse than did female veterans without eating disordered behaviors. CONCLUSIONS Disordered eating may be a significant issue among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and veterans with eating problems are more likely to have comorbid mental health conditions that further increase their health risks.

Preliminary report on dietitians' views and confidence related to nutrition care for eating disorders.

Evidence suggests that nutrition professionals have gaps in knowledge and skills related to prevention and treatment of eating disorders and disordered eating, thus inhibiting effective interventions. The purpose of this study was to explore registered dietitians’ (RDs’) views and confidence levels regarding nutrition care across the spectrum of eating disorders. An online survey management tool was used to collect data from a convenience sample of RDs (N = 291) participating in Pedi-RD list servs and dietetic practice groups including the Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group. Participants answered closed- and open-ended questions about their knowledge, beliefs, and practices related to eating disorders and disordered eating. On average, participants responded that genetics was least important in the development of eating disorders and that psychological issues and obsession with food were most important. Participants indicated that working with a multidisciplinary team was most important to improve the RDs...