FOOD PROVISION VS STRUCTURED MEAL PLANS IN THE BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT OF OBESITY

OBJECTIVE: Providing overweight patients with the food they should eat has been shown to significantly improve weight loss in a behavioral t reatment program. The objective of this study was to examine the contr ibution of three components of food provision to these positive effect s: the specific meal plans indicating what foods should be eaten at ea ch meal; the food itself; and the fact that the food was provided free . SUBJECTS: 163 overweight women. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled study with subjects assigned to one of four conditions: (1) a standard beha vioral treatment program (SET) with weekly meetings for six months; (2 ) SET plus structured meal plans and grocery lists; (3) SET plus meal plans plus food provision. with subjects sharing the cost; or (4) SET plus meal plans plus free food provision. RESULTS: Subjects in Group 1 lost significantly less weight than subjects in Groups 2-4 at the end of the six month program (-8.0 kg vs -12.0, -11.7 and -11.4 kg respec tively) and at follow-up one year later (-3.3 kg vs -6.9, -7.5 and -6. 6 kg respectively). No significant differences were seen in weight los s between Groups 2-4. suggesting that the component of food provision that is responsible for its success is the provision of highly structu red meal plans and grocery lists. Subjects receiving meal plans were m ore likely to exhibit an eating pattern of three meals/day, had more d efinite plans regarding what to eat and reported more favorable change s in foods stored in their homes and in perceived barriers to weight l oss. CONCLUSIONS: Providing structured meal plans and grocery lists im proves outcome in a behavioral weight control program; no further bene fit is seen by actually giving food to patients.