Are individuals with loss-of-control eating more prone to dietary lapse in behavioural weight loss treatment? An ecological momentary assessment study.

OBJECTIVE: Individuals with overweight/obesity and loss-of-control eating (LOC) may experience poorer outcomes from behavioural weight loss due to reactivity to internal (e.g., affective and physical) states that impact treatment adherence (e.g., dietary lapses). This study examined (a) whether the presence of LOC increased risk for dietary lapses and (b) the moderating role of LOC on the relation between internal states and dietary lapses.

METHOD: Individuals (n = 189) with overweight and obesity completed ecological momentary assessment early in behavioural weight loss.

RESULTS: LOC was positively associated with dietary lapse. LOC did not moderate the relation between momentary changes in internal states and dietary lapses. However, the effect of average levels of internal states on lapses was attenuated for those with LOC.

DISCUSSION: Results suggest that those with LOC are at higher risk of dietary lapse, whereas elevated average levels of internal states may contribute to early inadherence for those without LOC.