27 posts · 19,017 views
Discussions centered on obesity as a complex system, exploring on how we use feedback for personal behaviour change as well as the role feedback plays in other aspects of the obesity system.
pennydeck
27 posts
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- February 22, 2013
- 12:57 PM
- 138 views
“Smart fork”: Useful feedback tool or dietary gimmick?
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
Do you eat too quickly? Or eat too much? A novel tool, the HAPIfork, is designed to track eating habits, such as the number of forkfuls of food consumed and the speed of consumption. Sensors within the fork detect movement … Continue reading →... Read more »
Martin CK, Anton SD, Walden H, Arnett C, Greenway FL, & Williamson DA. (2007) Slower eating rate reduces the food intake of men, but not women: implications for behavioral weight control. Behaviour research and therapy, 45(10), 2349-59. PMID: 17517367
- February 13, 2013
- 01:23 PM
- 182 views
What’s your weight loss “style”? The role of heterogeneity in weight management
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
A new perspective on data from the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) by Ogden et al. (2012) (1) suggests that individuals who successfully maintain weight loss fall into four distinct categories, each with unique characteristics. This is an essential step … Continue reading →... Read more »
Ogden, L., Stroebele, N., Wyatt, H., Catenacci, V., Peters, J., Stuht, J., Wing, R., & Hill, J. (2012) Cluster Analysis of the National Weight Control Registry to Identify Distinct Subgroups Maintaining Successful Weight Loss. Obesity, 20(10), 2039-2047. DOI: 10.1038/oby.2012.79
- September 26, 2012
- 01:45 PM
- 158 views
Failed Feedback: Barriers to Behaviour Change
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
Why does feedback fail? As I’ve discussed previously, learning (or behaviour change) is a feedback process. According to Sterman (1), there are two important requirements that must be met in order for learning (behaviour change) to be successful. First, the … Continue reading →... Read more »
Sterman, John D. (1994) Learning in and about complex systems. System Dynamics Review, 43(2-3), 239-330. DOI: 10.1002/sdr.4260100214
- August 13, 2012
- 04:05 PM
- 207 views
Is it about the journey or the destination? Goals vs. experience in motivating behaviour change
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
“The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.” Don Williams, Jr. The same sentiments are echoed by Emerson, “life is a journey, not … Continue reading →... Read more »
Fishbach, A., & Choi, J. (2012) When thinking about goals undermines goal pursuit. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 118(2), 99-107. DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2012.02.003
- August 8, 2012
- 04:09 PM
- 205 views
Mental Models of Obesity
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
Previously I suggested that in order for health behaviour change to be successful, we not only need to alter the decisions we make, but that we also need to modify the habits, routines, interpretations, and attributions that we base these … Continue reading →... Read more »
Ogden J, Bandara I, Cohen H, Farmer D, Hardie J, Minas H, Moore J, Qureshi S, Walter F, & Whitehead MA. (2001) General practitioners' and patients' models of obesity: whose problem is it?. Patient education and counseling, 44(3), 227-33. PMID: 11553423
- July 26, 2012
- 09:51 AM
- 237 views
Cake or Fruit: Non-linearity in Decision-Making
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
Previously I’ve discussed the work of Resnicow and Vaughn (1), who suggest that traditional models of behaviour change fail to embrace the complexity of human behaviour. They call for a new paradigm to conceptualize behaviour change using a complex systems … Continue reading →... Read more »
Ariely D, & Zakay D. (2001) A timely account of the role of duration in decision making. Acta psychologica, 108(2), 187-207. PMID: 11569762
- July 24, 2012
- 04:30 PM
- 260 views
Learning is a feedback process
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
Learning depends on feedback. This is not a surprising statement, and is a common theme within many different academic disciplines, including Systems Thinking (as discussed by Sterman, Meadows, Forrester and others). But despite this consensus, learning, in the sense of … Continue reading →... Read more »
Sterman, John D. (1994) Learning in and about complex systems. . System Dynamics Review, 43(2-3), 239-330. DOI: 10.1002/sdr.4260100214
- February 2, 2012
- 12:32 PM
- 493 views
Improving healthy food & beverage choices through choice architecture
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
In my previous blog post, I discussed a study by Thorndike et al that looked at how both labeling healthy and unhealthy food choices with colour codes affected the purchase of healthy foods and beverages (1). The previous post focused … Continue reading →... Read more »
Thorndike, A., Sonnenberg, L., Riis, J., Barraclough, S., & Levy, D. (2012) A 2-Phase Labeling and Choice Architecture Intervention to Improve Healthy Food and Beverage Choices. American Journal of Public Health. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300391
- January 26, 2012
- 06:48 PM
- 520 views
Leveraging feedback to improve healthy food & beverage choices
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
Energy-dense foods purchased outside the home are an important contributor to the obesity epidemic facing our society. Can public health interventions that target the point of purchase help support individuals making healthy choices? A recent paper by Thorndike et al … Continue reading →... Read more »
Thorndike, A., Sonnenberg, L., Riis, J., Barraclough, S., & Levy, D. (2012) A 2-Phase Labeling and Choice Architecture Intervention to Improve Healthy Food and Beverage Choices. American Journal of Public Health. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300391
- November 7, 2011
- 08:04 AM
- 624 views
Capturing a Moment
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
How does the immediately availability of highly palatable foods influence caloric intake? Does this differ among different people and if so how? A study published in the journal Obesity by Thomas et. al. suggests that individuals with a higher BMI … Continue reading →... Read more »
Thomas JG, Doshi S, Crosby RD, & Lowe MR. (2011) Ecological momentary assessment of obesogenic eating behavior: combining person-specific and environmental predictors. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 19(8), 1574-9. PMID: 21273995
- September 23, 2011
- 07:14 PM
- 760 views
Is it possible to optimize support for making healthy decisions? Part 1
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
What factors govern the daily decisions we make about food, exercise, and other health behaviours? As my colleague Megan noted in a recent post on Behavioural Economics on her blog Verdant Nation, “our choices arise from opportunities or barriers that … Continue reading →... Read more »
Baumeister, R., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., & Tice, D. (1998) Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource?. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(5), 1252-1265. DOI: 10.1037//0022-3514.74.5.1252
- September 8, 2011
- 06:42 PM
- 623 views
What’s most helpful for improving performance – precise or vague information?
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
How precise does feedback need to be in order to support behaviour change? Most of us prefer exact information and are adverse to ambiguity (1), but absolute values may not be as successful for supporting behaviour change as one might … Continue reading →... Read more »
Mishra H, Mishra A, & Shiv B. (2011) In praise of vagueness: malleability of vague information as a performance booster. Psychological science, 22(6), 733-8. PMID: 21515738
- August 18, 2011
- 08:34 AM
- 861 views
A feedback example – dynamic speed displays: do they change driver behaviour?
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
Dynamic speed displays are large digital sign-boards that broadcast your speed as you travel past. Although they admonish you to slow down if you exceed the speed limit, do they provide effective feedback that changes driver behaviour and reduces risk … Continue reading →... Read more »
Ullman, G., & Rose, E. (2005) Evaluation of Dynamic Speed Display Signs. Transportation Research Record, 1918(1), 92-97. DOI: 10.3141/1918-12
- August 17, 2011
- 02:36 PM
- 888 views
Mobile social networking, self-monitoring, and health behaviour change
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
This week features a guest post by Richard, an undergraduate student working in the CDSM lab for the summer. His main project for the summer has been working on identifying iPhone apps that promise to help with weight management and … Continue reading →... Read more »
Lefebvre C. (2009) Integrating cell phones and mobile technologies into public health practice: a social marketing perspective. Health promotion practice, 10(4), 490-4. PMID: 19809002
- July 7, 2011
- 10:43 AM
- 1,117 views
How do life events affect body weight? Part 2
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
In my previous blog post, I discussed a paper by Ogden and Hills (1) that explores individuals’ perceived triggers of behaviour change and the factors that contribute to maintaining behaviour change over time. But a number of questions remain: are … Continue reading →... Read more »
Ogden J, Stavrinaki M, & Stubbs J. (2009) Understanding the role of life events in weight loss and weight gain. Psychology, health , 14(2), 239-49. PMID: 19235083
- July 4, 2011
- 04:26 PM
- 641 views
How do life events affect body weight? Part 1
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
Previously I blogged about the limitations of traditional theories to explain behaviour change, discussing how a complex systems approach that accounts for unplanned events may lead to better understanding of behaviour change and improvements in treatment outcomes. But how do … Continue reading →... Read more »
Ogden, J., & Hills, L. (2008) Understanding sustained behavior change: the role of life crises and the process of reinvention. Health:, 12(4), 419-437. DOI: 10.1177/1363459308094417
- June 30, 2011
- 11:41 AM
- 1,003 views
Small planned steps or a quantum leap?
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
How do you change your behaviours? Do you meticulously plan, set goals, and take small steps, or do you just “do it”? A commenter on my previous blog post examining iPhone apps for smoking cessation noted that the “the most … Continue reading →... Read more »
Resnicow K, & Vaughan R. (2006) A chaotic view of behavior change: a quantum leap for health promotion. The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 25. PMID: 16968551
- June 17, 2011
- 01:43 PM
- 1,103 views
Friday Feedback Favourites
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
Each Friday, I share a collection of stories, research, or other news and notes related to the role of feedback in complex systems that catch my attention during the previous week. Most of these I share on twitter when I … Continue reading →... Read more »
Hill, A., Rand, D., Nowak, M., & Christakis, N. (2010) Emotions as infectious diseases in a large social network: the SISa model. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 277(1701), 3827-3835. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.1217
Fowler JH, & Christakis NA. (2008) Dynamic spread of happiness in a large social network: longitudinal analysis over 20 years in the Framingham Heart Study. BMJ (Clinical research ed.). PMID: 19056788
Christakis NA, & Fowler JH. (2007) The spread of obesity in a large social network over 32 years. The New England journal of medicine, 357(4), 370-9. PMID: 17652652
- June 7, 2011
- 10:19 AM
- 1,121 views
Internet-Based Health Interventions: What Works?
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
Many health behaviour interventions and treatment programs increasingly use web-based delivery platforms, capitalizing on the 80% of internet users in the US that search online resources for health information (1). Internet programs represent a relatively new way to deliver interventions … Continue reading →... Read more »
Webb TL, Joseph J, Yardley L, & Michie S. (2010) Using the internet to promote health behavior change: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of theoretical basis, use of behavior change techniques, and mode of delivery on efficacy. Journal of medical Internet research, 12(1). PMID: 20164043
- May 19, 2011
- 05:56 PM
- 602 views
Yes, there’s an app for that, but does it work?
by pennydeck in Feedback Solutions for Obesity
Do they REALLY work? iPhone apps in the health & fitness, lifestyle, and medical categories account for 7.7% of downloads* and promise to help you get fit, lose weight, quit smoking, improve your sleep, among many other benefits. In a … Continue reading →... Read more »
Abroms LC, Padmanabhan N, Thaweethai L, & Phillips T. (2011) iPhone Apps for Smoking Cessation A Content Analysis. American journal of preventive medicine, 40(3), 279-85. PMID: 21335258
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