Participation of Female Emerging Adults in a Theory- and Evidence-Based Behavioral Weight Loss Program
Department
Health Promotion and Physical Education
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-1-2020
Abstract
© The Author(s) 2020. Emerging adults are less likely to participate in and more likely to drop out of behavioral weight loss programs. Thirty-five female emerging adults who dropped out of a behavioral weight loss program, Weight Loss For Life, completed an online survey. Main reasons for dropout relate to insufficient behavioral skills and unique characteristics of emerging adults, especially when in college (e.g., citing working and getting good grades to be more important than losing weight). Most desired >50% of program online, having virtual groups, and using small groups to model desirable behaviors. Around $140 and $180 seemed sufficient to them to encourage participation in all scheduled treatment sessions and reaching overall weight loss goal, respectively. Future behavioral weight loss programs for emerging adults may consider helping develop time management and task management, decision-making that focuses on longer term outcomes, and immediate tangible rewards similar to what college students typically receive after they complete each class assignment.
Journal Title
International Quarterly of Community Health Education
Journal ISSN
0272684X
Volume
41
Issue
1
First Page
45
Last Page
53
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1177/0272684X19896738