Overeat today, skip the scale tomorrow: An examination of caloric intake predicting nonadherence to daily self-weighing.
Daily self-weighing is an effective weight loss strategy. Little is known about "micro" factors influencing nonadherence to self-weighing (e.g., daily overeating). It was hypothesized that increased caloric intake on a given day would increase odds of not self-weighing the following day.



Daily self-reports of weight and caloric intake were collected from 74 adults with overweight and obesity (mean BMI = 31.2 ± 4.5 kg/m2, age = 50.6 ± 10 years, 69% female, 87% Caucasian) throughout a 12-week Internet-based weight management intervention. Multilevel logistic regression investigated odds of nonadherence to self-weighing on a given day based on the previous day's caloric intake.



Self-monitoring adherence was high (weights: 87%; calories: 85%); adherence was associated with greater 12-week weight loss (weighing: r = -0.24, P = 0.04; calories: r = -0.26, P = 0.04). Increased caloric intake on a given day, relative to the individual's average intake, was associated with increased odds of nonadherence to self-weighing the next day (F(1,5106)= 12.66, P = 0.0004, β = 0.001). For example, following a day of eating 300 calories more than usual, odds of not self-weighing increased by 1.33.



Odds of nonadherence to self-weighing increased following a day with higher-than-usual caloric intake. Weight management interventions collecting daily self-monitoring data could provide support to participants who report increased caloric intake to prevent self-weighing nonadherence.
Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
Molly L
0000-0003-4222-4224
ML
Tanenbaum
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, The Miriam Hospital/Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.|Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Kathryn M
KM
Ross
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, The Miriam Hospital/Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center, Providence, Rhode Island, USA. rwing@lifespan.org.
Rena R
RR
Wing
D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000523:psychology*; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs / Q000379:methods*; D014894:Weights and Measures