| The effectiveness of treating an overweight population of women with a nondieting treatment was tested. The goal of the study was to stabilize eating and weight to improve health parameters apart from weight loss. In a pretest-post-test control group design, using repeated measures and random assignment, participant scores over time were analyzed at three intervals (pre, post, 12 weeks). Outcome measures included the EDI-2 (Garner, 1984--1981). Biomedical measures included a full lipid panel, glucose plasma, and fasting insulin. It was hypothesized that eating and weight would stabilize and biomedical health parameters would improve. The results replicate previous nondieting research, which improved eating attitudes and reduced psychological distress. For the EDI-2 subscale Body Dissatisfaction, the treatment group was statistically different from the contrast group over time. All the EDI-2 subscale scores for the treatment group showed a trend toward improvement, falling at or below the female comparison norms. All the biomedical measures showed a trend toward improvement. Cholesterol and LDL reached statistical significance and Triglycerides approached significance with exercise as the covariate. Effect sizes were large suggesting a substantial treatment effect. Fasting insulin dropped to the lower end of the reference range and participant's overall biomedical health parameters did not deteriorate. |
