Combined Eating Disorder and Weight Loss Online Guided-Self Help Intervention

Combined Eating Disorder and Weight Loss Online Guided-Self Help Intervention Pilot Study

Online, guided self-help interventions have been used for weight-loss (WL), as well as for treatment of eating disorders (EDs), separately, but no program exists to manage these conditions together. To date, a combination ED and WL intervention has been piloted in adolescents who endorsed high-risk ED behavior and had overweight, and revealed moderate improvement in ED behavior and WL. Thus, the use of online intervention for ED psychopathology and WL in individuals with clinical and sub-clinical EDs is the next step. Given Dr. Wilfley's past expertise with ED and WL interventions, and particularly her involvement with online interventions for these issues her mentorship will support the carrying out of aims for this proposal. The goal of this proposal is to implement a program to reduce weight and shape concerns, reduce disordered eating symptoms such as binging and compensatory behaviors associated with binge-type EDs, while also reducing weight for college students with comorbid overweight/obesity. This project will pilot an online, guided self-help ED intervention that offers cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) based tools to improve ED symptoms, while also teaching them healthy methods of behavioral WL, for individuals with clinical/sub-clinical binge-type EDs with comorbid overweight/obesity in order to examine effectiveness compared to referral to Student Health Services for ED and WL concerns.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Obesity; Eating Disorders
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: CoED Online Intervention

Detailed Description

The intersection of eating disorders and overweight/obesity reveals a large, and mostly underserved, population. Having overweight/obesity as a child is a risk factor for an ED, as many adolescents with overweight/obesity utilize disordered eating methods in order to lose weight. Conversely, binge-type EDs increase risk for overweight/obesity as binge episodes can lead to further weight gain. Additionally, treatment of overweight early is especially important as individuals with overweight have an increased likelihood of moving from overweight to obesity status. Despite this intertwined problem, few interventions exist that address ED pathology combined with a healthy weight loss (WL) intervention. A particular population in need of intervention for EDs with comorbid overweight/obesity is the college student population. Intervention at the college level is important as it is also prevention for future complications of EDs and overweight/obesity. Combined intervention for EDs and overweight for young adults, specifically college students, is needed programming which could potentially have substantial long-term health benefits. This project will pilot an online, guided self-help ED intervention that offers cognitive behavioral therapy based tools to improve ED symptoms while also teaching the healthy WL methods and maintenance of behavioral WL for individuals with clinical/sub-clinical binge-type EDs with comorbid overweight/obesity. Participants will take the online screen by going to the URL address listed on the study advertisement. Before answering any survey questions, they will read a consent information sheet on the study, and consent to having their information stored so that they can be reached later if eligible for the long term study. They will then complete screening questions asking about their eating habits and weight and shape concerns. Lastly, they will be asked if they are interested in taking part in the long term study, and if so, at what email address would they like to be reached. Eligible criteria include endorsing clinical/sub-clinical symptoms of a binge-type ED, having a BMI > 25, and wanting to lose weight. If an individual screens positive for having low weight, as characterized by a BMI < 18.5, they will automatically be provided a referral to student health services at the end of their survey. Those that are eligible to participate will be sent emails to ask if they are interested in participating in this study. If they are interested, they will come into the lab to read and sign consent information. To minimize coercion, they will have as much time as they like to read and consider participation.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Missouri
    • Saint Louis, Missouri, United States, 63110
      • Washington University School of Medicine

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• young adults who have clinical or sub-clinical binge type ED, and comorbid overweight or obesity

Exclusion Criteria:

• adults under 18

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control; Referral to standard care - student health center on campus.
Active Comparator: Intervention; Online, guided self-help ED intervention that offers cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) based tools to improve ED symptoms, while also teaching the healthy methods of behavioral WL, for individuals with clinical/sub-clinical binge-type EDs with comorbid overweight/obesity.	Behavioral: CoED Online Intervention; Online, guided self-help ED intervention that offers cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) based tools to improve ED symptoms, while also teaching the healthy methods of behavioral WL, for individuals with clinical/sub-clinical binge-type EDs with comorbid overweight/obesity

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Eating Disorder Symptoms	Change in Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire score	baseline, 9-weeks, 6-months
Change in Weight	Change in BMI	baseline, 9-weeks, 6-months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Washington University School of Medicine
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Denise E Wilfley, Ph.D., Washington University School of Medicine

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 13, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 25, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): November 30, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 23, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 28, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): January 30, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 7, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 6, 2022
• Last Verified: July 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Body Weight; Body Weight Changes; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Weight Loss
• Other Study ID Numbers: 201908221 - TL1TR002344

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No