An Open Trial Targeting Weight-Related Psychological Difficulties Among Young Adults with Overweight or Obesity During COVID-19 Lockdown

• Main Authors: Patricia Pawa, Pitil, Siti Raudzah, Ghazali
• Other Authors: Garry, Kuan
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Singapore 2023
• Subjects: RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/43634/1/Advancing%20Sports.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/43634/; https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-19-8159-3_4; https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-8159-3_4
• Institution: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

Weight-related psychological difficulties (WRD) are associated with overweight and obesity including among young adults. We developed a program called ACT-EX (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Exercise), which incorporates six processes to increase weight-related psychological flexibility: acceptance, cognitive defusion, being present, self-as-context, values, and committed action for young adults who are overweight or obese (OW/OB). This open trial evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of the ACT-EX program. Fifty young adults who were OW/OB (78% female, 22% male; mean age = 21.32 years (SD = 1.2); Body Mass Index (BMI) = 30.01 kg/m2 (SD = 4.63); 36% Malay; 28% Bumiputera Sarawak; 20% Chinese; and Bumiputera Sabah and Indians, 4% each) participated in a 6-week intervention and 6-week follow-up study. The WRD was measured by the Acceptance and …