Binge Eating Self-help Treatment for University Students

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Obesity; Binge Eating Disorder
• Interventions: Behavioral: Guided Self-Help; Behavioral: Pure Self-Help

• Registration Number: NCT01888406
• Lead Sponsor: Francine Rosselli

Brief Summary

BEST4US compares the effectiveness of two forms of self-help interventions that target college students, ages 18 years to 22 years, who report binge eating. The overall question is whether one or the other format will prevent excess weight gain and lead to differences in eating behaviors. The two formats are (1) "pure self-help" (receipt of a self-help program via book form or online texts) and (2) a combination of the self-help program and guidance provided by a trained peer coach over the course of 8 weekly sessions.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2013-01
• Status Verified: 2013-06
• Study First Submitted: 2013-06-20
• Study First Submitted QC: 2013-06-24
• Last Update Submitted: 2013-06-24
• Study First Posted: 2013-06-27
• Last Update Posted: 2013-06-27
• Primary Completion: 2014-09
• Study Completion: 2014-09

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 130

Inclusion Criteria

• binge eating episodes at least once per week in the past 28 days
• 18 to 22 years old
• full-time student at Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT, USA) or Manchester Community College (Manchester, CT, USA)

Exclusion Criteria

• purging more than once per week in the past three months
• BMI less than 18 or greater than/equal to 40
• currently pregnant
• severe depressive symptoms or suicidality

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Guided Self-Help	Guided Self-Help	Participants receive self-help materials, including a book (Overcoming Binge Eating by C. Fairburn, handouts, and online resources. In addition, participants receive 8 individual sessions with a peer coach who supports participants in working the self-help program.
Pure Self-Help	Pure Self-Help	Participants receive self-help materials, including a book (Overcoming Binge Eating by C. Fairburn, handouts, and online resources.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
BMI	Baseline, post-intervention (8-week), and 6-month follow-up	The primary outcome measure is change in BMI from randomization. Height and weight will be measured by study staff at the baseline visit using a stadiometer (collecting height measures twice and reporting the average) and a calibrated scale (light clothing, street shoes removed). BMI will be calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in squared centimeters. Weight will be re-measured at 8 week- and 6 month assessments. BMI change is a primary-, and incidence of obesity (i.e., obesity onset since baseline, BMI \> 30) is a secondary outcome variable. While we assess weight at the post-treatment assessment, the key question of our study is whether the intervention will reduce excess weight gain at 6-month follow-up.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Cessation of Binge Eating	Baseline, post-intervention (8-week), and 6-month follow-up	Binge eating is assessed by clinical interview using an abbreviated version of the Eating Disorders Examination (EDE-16e) at baseline, post-treatment (8-week), and 6-month follow-up. Specifically, the EDE sections on 7-day meal patterns, overeating episodes, and the frequency of inappropriate compensatory behaviors will be administered. The key question of our study is whether the intervention will eliminate binge eating at 6-month follow-up (no reported binge eating episodes in the 28 days prior to the 6-month follow-up).

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Manchester Community College Department of Psychology; 🇺🇸 Manchester, Connecticut, United States

Wesleyan University Department of Psychology; 🇺🇸 Middletown, Connecticut, United States