%A Rachel Woodson Goode
%T Appetite awareness treatment to prevent obesity in African-American Women
%X African-American women have the highest rates of obesity within the United States. Obesity is of public health significance, and is associated with numerous co-morbid conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, and various cancers. Behavioral weight loss interventions have not been as effective in African-American women who are obese. Untreated eating behaviors may contribute toward obesity and poorer outcomes in weight loss treatment. The objective of this study is to evaluate participant satisfaction with Appetite Awareness Treatment (AAT), a cognitive-behavioral intervention for binge eating, and generate information to improve its effectiveness among African-American women. African-American women, aged 18-70, with reported binge, overeating, or loss of control eating behaviors, were invited to attend a focus group discussion, following participation in an eight-week community-based AAT intervention. Session content was recorded using a digital audio recorder, and transcribed. Data was analyzed by use of open coding and constant comparison. Themes were generated to describe the experience of participating in the intervention. Seventeen women participated in three traditional focus group discussions to evaluate their experience in AAT. Pertinent themes include the following: satisfaction, cultural relevance, lessons learned, and things to change. AAT was satisfactory, and participants found it valuable to learn more about listening to biological signals of hunger and satiety, and to receive group support from other African-American women. Suggested changes include improving the paper self-monitoring form, increasing the length of the intervention, and providing food in session as part of the intervention instruction. In conclusion, AAT is acceptable, and provides eating behavior instruction that was culturally relevant to participating African-American women. Future research should examine the potential of AAT to improve disordered eating behaviors, and prevent further weight gain in this population.
%D 2017
%K obesity, binge, eating, African-American, women, weight, loss
%I University of Pittsburgh
%L pittir31508