Effectiveness of Intuitive Eating Intervention through a Text Messaging Program among College Students

Assessment of Intuitive Eating and Mindful Eating among Higher Education Students: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

The role of mindful eating (ME) and intuitive eating (IE) in improving eating behavior, diet quality, and health is an area of increasing interest.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review was to identify the instruments used to assess ME and IE among higher education students and outcomes related to these dimensions.

METHODS

This review was carried out according to the PRISMA statement, through systematic searches in PubMed, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and Scopus. The inclusion criteria selected for higher education students, levels of ME and/or IE reported, and observational and clinical studies. The exclusion criteria selected against reviews, qualitative studies, and case studies. Quality was assessed using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Criteria Checklist.

RESULTS

A total of 516 initial records were identified, from which 75 were included. Cross-sectional studies were the most common research design (86.7%). Most studies were conducted with samples that were predominantly female (90.7%), White (76.0%), aged 18 to 22 years (88.4%), with BMI < 25 kg/m2 (83.0%), and in the United States (61.3%). The Intuitive Eating Scale (IES), the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ), and their different versions were the most used instruments. The outcomes most studies included were eating behavior and disorders (77.3%), anthropometric assessments (47.8%), mental health (42.0%), and body image (40.6%). Regarding the quality of studies, 34.7% of studies were assigned a positive, 1.3% a negative, and 64.0% a neutral rate.

CONCLUSIONS

IES and MEQ were the most used instruments. RCT and cohort studies are scarce, and future research with a higher level of quality is needed, especially on the topics of food consumption, diet quality, and biochemical markers.

Outcomes of intuitive eating interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Intuitive eating (IE) is an approach to health promotion that fosters a positive relationship with food and the body. The objective of this review was to aggregate and analyse the literature on IE interventions, thereby offering an early investigation of methodological approaches to intervention. This review was conducted in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA) guidelines. Searching was conducted in four electronic databases. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they delivered an IE intervention and used the Intuitive Eating Scale (IES). Nine studies were included in this review. Six were eligible for meta-analysis, though only outcomes on the IES were examined; all other measures were examined individually. All interventions led to improvements on measures of IE, with a large pooled effect size (1.50 [1.15, 1.85]) and positive changes on a variety of other outcomes relating to health. This pattern preliminarily suggests that IE interventions change psychological processes as intended and can be useful in promoting health behaviour. The present review offers a synthesis of existing approaches to IE interventions and an evaluation of which specific variants appear to be more effective. This paper provides a basis upon which future interventions can be developed to improve approaches to psychoeducation.Clinical ImplicationsInterventions contributed to improvements in measures of IE lasting up to 6 months.Interventions contributed to positive changes on outcomes such as quality of life, body image, and body appreciation.Self-management through IE-based interventions may be feasible and effective.

Health behavior interventions for university students measuring mental health outcomes: A scoping review

Introduction

Many university students have poor mental health, and co-occurring health risk behaviors. Targeting health behavior change in this population may improve mental health outcomes. This scoping review describes the extent and range of randomized controlled trials (RCT) evaluating interventions targeting health risk behaviors and measuring a mental health outcome, among university students.

Methods

Six electronic databases were searched for RCTs published until the 18^th May 2021. Eligible RCTs included university students, evaluated interventions that promoted health behavior change (i.e., dietary intake, physical activity, sedentary behavior, alcohol and drug use, smoking, and sleep), and measured a mental health-related outcome.

Results

Fifty-nine RCTs met the inclusion criteria that were published from 2000 to 2021, and over half (n = 33) were conducted in the United States. Interventions evaluated within the RCTs (n = 92) predominantly targeted changes to dietary intake (n = 41 interventions), physical activity (n = 39), or alcohol intake (n = 35). Most interventions targeted one (n = 51) or two (n = 27) health behaviors only. Included RCTs considered mental ill health outcomes (n = 24), psychological wellbeing outcomes (n = 20), or both (n = 15).

Discussion

This scoping review identified a moderate volume of experimental research investigating the impact of health behavior interventions on university students' mental health. There is scope for further research examining health behavior interventions targeting university students, particularly interventions taking a multi-behavioral approach.