The Effects of Intuitive Eating on Body Appreciation and Dietary Restraint in College Females
Condition: Eating Behavior; Body Image; Dietary Habits; Restricted Behavior
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      College-aged women are at risk for eating disorders and disordered eating, which present
      serious health concerns. Two potent risk factors for eating disorders, body dissatisfaction
      and dietary restraint, are common among female college students.

      Intuitive eating is a strategy in which instead of listening to the predominant 'diet
      culture' and focusing on things like calories and energy balance, individuals practice
      listening to their internal physiological signals to decide when and what to eat and when to
      stop. Based on current research, intuitive eating has been shown to foster body satisfaction
      and healthy eating attitudes among women.

      The proposed pilot study will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an intuitive
      eating program for University of Delaware college women. In addition, this study will test
      the hypothesis that the intuitive eating program will reduce cognitive factors of body
      dissatisfaction and dietary restraint in females compared to a waitlisted group.
      Additionally, the investigators expect this reduction in dietary restraint to be associated
      with less disordered eating behavior. Exploratory aims include measuring engagement in
      disordered eating behaviors and changes in weight over the study period. This preliminary
      data will be used to estimate effect sizes for larger future trials.
    

Detailed description: 
      The overall goal of the program is to challenge and eventually shift participant's mindset
      from the traditional diet culture towards a way of eating that is driven by their unique
      bodily needs. Thus, content will focus on training participant to listen to their internal
      body cues for hunger opposed to restricting or eliminating foods. A list of intuitive eating
      principles and ways to incorporate them into daily routines will be provided to the
      participants throughout the sessions, coupled with homework assignments, journaling, and
      exercises to be completed before subsequent sessions.

      This program will be delivered by two Registered Dietitians from the University of Delaware,
      Julia Katcher and Maryann Eastep. Both will have received training from
      https://www.helmpublishing.com/intuitive-eating-certificate-of-training-1891 and will have
      become Certified Intuitive Eating Counselors by the start of Spring 2019.

      After being screened for eligibility and meeting eligibility criteria, the individual will be
      emailed by the PI, who will invite the individual to participate in the study and enclose an
      invitation for their first intuitive eating class. This email will also include a copy of the
      consent form for them to review and decide if they want to commit to the study. If the
      individual is still interested in participating they will email the PI again to be placed on
      the participant list. After 24 individuals, who have met screening criteria, have indicated
      desire to participate, they will be randomized to one of two conditions: (1) First Intuitive
      Eating Group (IE1) offered once per week for 5 weeks; or (2) Second Intuitive Eating Group
      (IE2), who will receive the same intuitive eating course after the first group has concluded.

      Baseline assessments will be conducted on all participants, both IE1 and IE2, on the same
      day, at the beginning of the first intuitive eating class for IE1 group. These assessments
      will be conducted by the project staff identified above. The assessment should not take
      longer than 30 minutes. When the participants arrive, they will first have the opportunity to
      discuss the study with the PI, ask any questions or address any concerns they might have and
      if interested, sign the consent form. Consent forms will be provided, prior to the initial
      assessment and the intuitive eating class beginning, to be reviewed and signed in the
      presence of the PI.

      After signing the consent form, then they will fill out the questionnaire. The investigators
      will measure attitudes about body satisfaction and eating.

      Lastly, the individuals will have their questionnaires checked by a member of the research
      team to ensure completion. After signing the consent form and turning in their
      questionnaires, participants will receive their group assignment. They will either be
      assigned to the first intuitive eating group (IE1) or the second intuitive eating group
      (IE2).

      If they were assigned to the IE1 group, they will complete their first class immediately
      following the baseline assessment at the beginning of the Spring 2019 semester.

      If they are assigned to the IE2 group, they will complete their first intuitive eating class
      the week after IE1's 5-week intuitive eating course has been completed.

      Each group will be able to attend up to 5 intuitive eating sessions that are 60 minutes long
      for a total of 5 weeks. Participation in the intuitive eating program will be tracked by
      documenting presence or absence at each intuitive eating session. A member of the research
      team will be responsible for documenting this and also checking fidelity to the curriculum.

      An additional baseline assessment will be conducted on the IE2 Group at the beginning of
      their first intuitive eating class. This assessment protocol will be identical to the one
      they attended, as described above, on the first day the IE1 group began their intuitive
      eating course. The assessment should not take longer than 30 minutes.

      End-of-study assessments will be completed on the last day of the participant's intuitive
      eating program. The assessment should not take longer than 30 minutes. At the last intuitive
      eating classes for each session, the investigators will measure attitudes about body
      satisfaction and eating, height, and weight.

      A program evaluation survey will be passed out during the end of the last intuitive eating
      class for both IE1 and IE2. This is to assess the effectiveness of the intuitive eating
      program and to receive feedback from participants on where the investigators can improve this
      program. This program evaluation is included with this application.

      IE1 will be asked to come back for an additional final assessment and feedback session on the
      last session day of IE2's intuitive eating course. IE1 will be in a separate room where they
      will have the chance to discuss and provide program feedback to the Graduate and
      Undergraduate Research Assistants. They will also fill out a program evaluation survey (for
      the second time), as described above. IE2 will be in the room where their last session just
      concluded where they will fill out the final survey, as described above, and will have their
      height and weight measured. Once both groups are finished in each room, they will switch and
      go through the same protocol as the last group did in that room
    

Intervention name(s): Intuitive Eating Program
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): A 5-week Intuitive Eating Curriculum created by a Registered Dietitian, Kaylee Frazier, will be used. The creator of this curriculum was contacted for permission and the curriculum was modified for use with college women.
The goal of the program is to challenge and eventually shift participant's mindset from the traditional diet culture towards a way of eating that is driven by their unique bodily needs. Content will focus on training participant to listen to their internal body cues for hunger opposed to restricting or eliminating foods. A list of intuitive eating principles and ways to incorporate them into daily routines will be provided to the participants throughout the sessions, coupled with homework assignments, journaling, and exercises to be completed before subsequent sessions.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: The proposed pilot study will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an intuitive eating program for University of Delaware college women. A randomized controlled design will be used to study the effects of an intuitive eating intervention on body dissatisfaction and dietary restraint in young adult women, thereby reducing risk of eating disorders. There will be 2 arms of this study. The First Intuitive Eating Group (IE1) will act as the intervention group and receive the intervention first. The Second Intuitive Eating Group (IE2) will act as a waitlist group and receive the intervention the week immediately following the end of IE1's course.
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Other
Keywords: intuitive eating; dietary restraint