Does a Self-selected Dietary Plan Promote Dietary Adherence, Perseverance, and Improved Weight Loss/Management in Adults?

Abstract

Background: During this time when obesity is at pandemic proportions there are many diet plans and diet books that are available. Health care practitioners are prime educators for those suffering from obesity and their families in regards to weight managemeent and weight loss. It is important for providers to understand what motivates these individuals to adhere to a dietary plan. Is it their choice of diet or is it a diet that is prescribed by their practitioner that supports adherence and perservance in weight management? Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine if submects would adhere and perservere with a dietary plan for weight loss/weight management when they are able to choose their own dietary plan as opposed to a random assignment of a dietary plan. Methods: A true experimental, randomized study design was conducted with 36 adults who volunteered and met inclusion criteria which were a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 25 by the Center for Disease Control guidelines, and be at least 18 years of age. The females must no be pregnant and be willing to take a pregnancy test if they were of child bearing potential. Using repeated-measures analysis from variance (ANOVA), the BMI, weight, and measures of variables from the Participation and Preservance in Weight Management Questionnaire and the Weight Management Questionnaire, were evaluated at three time points, initial visit, 2 weeks and 1 month. Adherence and perservance variables were measured with the former tool and motivation with the latter. They study was conducated at various locations that were mutally agreed upon by the subject and researcher. These settings included their homes, place of business and school. Results: All 36 subjects completed the study (18 in the experimental group, yellow, diet plan assigned and 18 in the control group, blue, diet plan self-selected). The blue group had increased adherence and perservance across all three time measures that were statistically significant at p < .05 when compared to the yellow group. Discussion: The choice of dietary plan increased adherence perservance, motivation and decreased BMI and increased the amount of weight loss, possibly due to self-selection of diet. However, the effect of having a specific nurse was not tested and may have influenced the outcome. Future studies are important to examine the effect of dietary choices. Nurse Practitioners can utilize the findings when helping their patients to make better diet choices in their search for ways to enhance weight management and weight loss programs. When counseling patients nurse practitioners can keep in mind the results of this study and work with their patients in designing a diet plan that will work with their lifestyle and support their goals.