Changing Eating Behaviors of Healthy Adults Through Hypnosis

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Overweight; Obesity
• Interventions: Behavioral: Hypnosis with amnesia suggestions; Behavioral: Hypnosis with cognitive rehearsal suggestions; Behavioral: Hypnosis with memory substitution suggestions; Behavioral: Hypnosis with induction only

• Registration Number: NCT04178486
• Lead Sponsor: Babes-Bolyai University

Brief Summary

There is a lot of research on weight loss. In spite of the research on the subject, obesity is a growing disease all through the world. The results of recent reviews and meta-analyzes show that psychological interventions had small effect on weight loss. The investigators propose a different approach to changing eating behaviors with relevance to weight management and hypothesize that participants in the active interventions will significantly improve their eating behaviors than the ones in the control group. The results will improve the psychological interventions for weight loss.

Detailed Description

This is a randomized clinical trial consisting of four groups. According to the concept of Free Will, the decision of action is taken before being acknowledged and is made following the reconstruction of previous experiences. It can be inhibited immediately (max 100ms) after awareness. The investigators want to intervene based on this model using hypnotic suggestions to change eating behaviors. Participants were found through social media announcements. Three groups receive one session of hypnosis with induction and different suggestions and the control group receives only induction. The eating behavior is measured through computer tasks in which participants have the option to choose pictures of food. The task is performed before, during and after hypnosis and the measurements of eating behavior are taken at all three times.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2019-05-20
• Primary Completion: 2019-09-17
• Study Completion: 2019-09-17
• Study First Submitted: 2019-10-27
• Status Verified: 2019-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-11-25
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-11-25
• Study First Posted: 2019-11-26
• Last Update Posted: 2019-11-26

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 89

Inclusion Criteria

Both gender Healthy Adults who want to change their eating behavior

Exclusion Criteria

Severe mental illness <18 years A diagnosed eating disorder

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Amnesia	Hypnosis with amnesia suggestions	Hypnosis formed from hypnotic induction (an adapted version from Barber Suggestibility Scale) together with hypnotic suggestions to experience amnesia for the food pictures they had just seen.
Cognitive Rehearsal	Hypnosis with cognitive rehearsal suggestions	Hypnosis formed from hypnotic induction (an adapted version from Barber Suggestibility Scale) together with hypnotic suggestions about a future where they will control their eating behaviors.
Memory Substitution	Hypnosis with memory substitution suggestions	Hypnosis formed from hypnotic induction (an adapted version from Barber Suggestibility Scale) together with hypnotic suggestions about a past where they have always controlled their eating behaviors.
Control	Hypnosis with induction only	Hypnosis formed from only hypnotic induction (an adapted version from Barber Suggestibility Scale).

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Eating Behavior	The intervention is delivered in one session. The outcome is measured: immediately pre intervention (0-2 min), during intervention and immediately post intervention (0-2 min).	The number of food pictures chosen by the participant in this single session intervention. The outcome is a measure assessing a change between three time points.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy; 🇷🇴 Cluj-Napoca, Cluj, Romania