Context: The growing use of interventions based on the Health at Every Size® (HAES®) in obesity management. Objective: This study aimed to summarize the health-related effects of HAES®based interventions on people with overweight and obesity.reporting on HAES®-based randomized and non-randomized controlled trials in people with overweight and/or obesity.Data extraction: Fourteen papers met the inclusion criteria. The assessed studies included the following tests: blood profile, blood pressure, anthropometry, eating behaviour, energy intake, diet quality, psychological and qualitative evaluations.Results: The HAES® interventions benefited both the psychological and physical activity outcomes, besides promoting behavioural and qualitative changes in eating habits. On the other hand, the results regarding cardiovascular responses, bodyimage perception and total energy intake were inconsistent.Conclusions: Despite improving the cardiovascular status, eating behaviours, quality of life and psychological well-being in participants, other large long-term clinical trials should be performed to establish the effectiveness of HAES®-based interventions in improving health for people with overweight and obesity. PROSPERO registration 2017: CRD42017054857. 1 We considered a cut-off point of 25.0 to 29.9 kg m À2 and ≥30 kg m À2 , respectively. obesity reviews

Health at Every Size® (HAES®) is a weight-neutral approach focused on promoting healthy behaviors in people with different body sizes. This study examined multiple physiological, attitudinal, nutritional, and behavioral effects of a newly developed, intensive, interdisciplinary HAES®-based intervention in obese women. This was a prospective, seven-month, randomized (2:1), controlled, mixed-method clinical trial. The intervention group (I-HAES®; n = 39) took part in an intensified HAES®-based intervention comprising a physical activity program, nutrition counseling sessions, and philosophical workshops. The control group (CTRL; n = 19) underwent a traditional HAES®-based intervention. Before and after the interventions, participants were assessed for physiological, psychological, and behavioral parameters (quantitative data) and took part in focus groups (qualitative data). Body weight, body mass index, and waist and hip circumferences did not significantly differ within or between groups (P > 0.05). I-HAES® showed increased peak oxygen uptake and improved performance in the timed-stand test (P = 0.004 and P = 0.004, between-group comparisons). No significant within- or between-group differences were observed for objectively measured physical activity levels, even though the majority of the I-HAES® participants indicated that they were engaged in or had plans to include physical activity in their routines. I-HAES® resulted in improvements in eating attitudes and practices. The I-HAES® group showed significantly improved all Body Attitude Questionnaire subscale and all Figure Rating Scale scores (P ≤ 0.05 for all parameters, within-group comparisons), whereas the CTRL group showed slight or no changes. Both groups had significant improvements in health-related quality of life parameters, although the I-HAES® group had superior gains in the “physical health,” “psychological health,” and “overall perception of quality of life and health” (P = 0.05, 0.03, and 0.02, respectively, between-group comparisons) domains. Finally, most of the quantitative improvements were explained by qualitative data. Our results show that this new intensified HAES®-based intervention improved participants’ eating attitudes and practices, perception of body image, physical capacity, and health-related quality of life despite the lack of changes in body weight and physical activity levels, showing that our novel approach was superior to a traditional HAES®-based program.

This study aimed to assess consumers’ uses of and opinions on the current Brazilian food label and their reaction to the introduction of a front-of-package warning label. We conducted 12 focus groups among a diverse sample of adult consumers, to broadly assess: (1) uses of and perceptions about the current food label, and (2) opinions about implementing a front-of-package warning label to guide food purchases. Data was analyzed with a triangulation of researchers using an exploratory content analysis, which allowed codes to emerge from the data. The frequency of codes across focus groups was compared by gender and socioeconomic status to explore differences by these sociodemographic factors. Codes were divided into six main themes: (1) “Reasons for using food labels”; (2) “Barriers to using food labels”; (3) “Requirements for a new label”; (4) “Perceived influence on consumption behaviors”; (5) “Perceived influence on child behaviors”; and (6) “Perceptions of the food manufacturers using of warning labels”. Participants used food labels to check nutrient content and ingredient information but the format of these labels and the technicality of the content displayed often made the information inaccessible, particularly for those with low socioeconomic status. Most participants were supportive of the display of front-of-package warning labels on products and considered them useful to inform purchases. Women believed that they and their children would reduce the consumption of foods with front-of-package warning labels, while men reported more polarity in their intentions. For men and their children, front-of-package warning labels would result in either stopping food intake entirely or continued consumption without changes to the amount. The study results highlight the potential of front-of-package warning labels to support healthier behaviors in both consumers and their children.

This study explored the effects of Health at Every Size®-based intervention on obese women by qualitatively evaluating participants’ perception toward the program and quantitatively evaluating changes related to psychological, behavioral, and body composition assessments. A prospective 1-year quasi-experimental mixed-method trial was conducted. The mixed-method design was characterized by a spiral method, and quantitative and qualitative findings were combined during the interpretation phase. The qualitative data involved three focus groups; and quantitative data comprised physiological, psychological, and behavioral assessments. Initially, 30 participants were recruited; 14 concluded the intervention. From the focus groups, the following interpretative axes were constructed: the intervention as a period of discoveries; shifting parameters: psychological, physical, and behavioral changes; eating changes, and; redefining success. Body weight, body mass index, total body fat mass, and body fat percentage were significantly decreased after the intervention (−3.6, −3.2, −13.0, and −11.1%, respectively; p ≤ 0.05, within-time effect). Participants reported to be more physically active and perceiving better their bodies. Eating-wise, participants reported that the hunger and satiety cues and the consumption of more frequent meals facilitated their eating changes. Finally, participants reported that they could identify feelings with eating choices and refrain from the restrained behavior. These qualitative improvements were accompanied by modest but significant improvements in quantitative assessments. Clinicaltrials.gov registration: NCT02102061.

The present study analyzed obese women’s experiences following a nonprescriptive nutritional intervention, implemented through a 1-year program based on the Health at Every Size® philosophy. We employed an action research method and conducted three focus groups during the intervention. We identified five interpretative axes across the focus groups, as follows: conflicts and perceptions; gaining motivation, perspective, and positioning; becoming autonomous eaters; acquiring tools; and the meetings between the nutritional therapist and participant. Our findings revealed varying levels of readiness among participants in adapting to the intervention and varying valuations of achievements related to eating and health, independent of body-weight changes. Participants reported benefiting from and expressed approval of the intervention. Participants reported positive behavioral and attitudinal changes to their diet and improvements to diet quality, diet structure, and consumption. Finally, participants seemed to show increased autonomy concerning diet and indicated increased confidence, comfort, flexibility, and positivity of attitude regarding eating.