Patterns of eating and exercise that reduce weight

• Main Author: Laguna-Camacho, Antonio
• Published: University of Birmingham 2013
• Subjects: 155; BF Psychology
• Online Access: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.567750

Gaps in research on reduction of obesity (Chapter 1) can be filled by experiments on effects on weight of changing the frequencies of habits of healthy eating and exercise (Chapter 2). This Thesis shows that changes in weight and customary habits can be tracked reliably. People’s descriptions of meals as healthy were consistent with national guidelines (Chapter 3). Participants agreed on which of such freely worded accounts of eating occasions referred to the same habit (Chapter 4). The frequency of a habit was calculated from recalled date and time of its most recent occasions: these timings were accurately recalled over two days (Chapter 5) although precision decreased after a week (Chapter 6). There was no evidence that records of weights were biased by expectations of weight loss (Chapter 7). Data from small samples indicated weight was reduced over 2-3 weeks by less frequent high-fat meals and calories between meals but not by more frequent vigorous exercise (Chapters 8 and 9). Habit frequency changes sometimes reversed from a variety of causes (Chapter 10). A full-scale experiment is designed to substantiate such findings (Chapter 11). After extension to other localities, such research could be an immediate help in reducing obesity (Chapter 12).