IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i14p8763-d865992.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Executive Function-Related Improvements on a Commercial CBT-Based Weight Management Intervention: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Author

Listed:
  • Andreas Michaelides

    (Academic Research, Noom, 229 W 28th St., New York, NY 10001, USA)

  • Ellen Siobhan Mitchell

    (Academic Research, Noom, 229 W 28th St., New York, NY 10001, USA)

  • Heather Behr

    (Academic Research, Noom, 229 W 28th St., New York, NY 10001, USA
    Department of Integrative Health, Saybrook University, 55 W Eureka St., Pasadena, CA 91103, USA)

  • Annabell Suh Ho

    (Academic Research, Noom, 229 W 28th St., New York, NY 10001, USA)

  • Grant Hanada

    (Intheon Labs, 5355 Mira Sorrento Pl, Suite 260, San Diego, CA 92121, USA)

  • Jihye Lee

    (Department of Communication, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305, USA)

  • Sue McPartland

    (Research Department, Focus Feedback LLC, 358 Veterans Memorial Highway, Commack, NY 11725, USA)

Abstract

Executive functioning is a key component involved in many of the processes necessary for effective weight management behavior change (e.g., setting goals). Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and third-wave CBT (e.g., mindfulness) are considered first-line treatments for obesity, but it is unknown to what extent they can improve or sustain executive functioning in a generalized weight management intervention. This pilot randomized controlled trial examined if a CBT-based generalized weight management intervention would affect executive functioning and executive function-related brain activity in individuals with obesity or overweight. Participants were randomized to an intervention condition (N = 24) that received the Noom Weight program or to a control group (N = 26) receiving weekly educational newsletters. EEG measurements were taken during Flanker, Stroop, and N-back tasks at baseline and months 1 through 4. After 4 months, the intervention condition evidenced greater accuracy over time on the Flanker and Stroop tasks and, to a lesser extent, neural markers of executive function compared to the control group. The intervention condition also lost more weight than controls (−7.1 pounds vs. +1.0 pounds). Given mixed evidence on whether weight management interventions, particularly CBT-based weight management interventions, are associated with changes in markers of executive function, this pilot study contributes preliminary evidence that a multicomponent CBT-based weight management intervention (i.e., that which provides both support for weight management and is based on CBT) can help individuals sustain executive function over 4 months compared to controls.

Suggested Citation

  • Andreas Michaelides & Ellen Siobhan Mitchell & Heather Behr & Annabell Suh Ho & Grant Hanada & Jihye Lee & Sue McPartland, 2022. "Executive Function-Related Improvements on a Commercial CBT-Based Weight Management Intervention: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-16, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:14:p:8763-:d:865992
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/14/8763/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/14/8763/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:14:p:8763-:d:865992. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.