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A Randomised Clinical Trial of a Meridian-Based Intervention for Food Cravings With Six-Month Follow-Up

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2012

Peta Stapleton ,
Terri Sheldon ,
Brett Porter  and
Jennifer Whitty
Peta Stapleton*
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, Griffith University, Australia. pwstapleton@bigpond.com
Terri Sheldon
Affiliation:
The Lakeside Rooms, Robina, Australia.
Brett Porter
Affiliation:
The Lakeside Rooms, Robina, Australia.
Jennifer Whitty
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, Griffith University, Australia.
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr Peta Stapleton, Senior Lecturer, School of Medicine, Griffith University, Logan Campus QLD 4131, Australia.
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Abstract

This randomised, clinical trial tested whether The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) reduced food cravings. This study involved 96 overweight or obese adults who were allocated to the EFT treatment or 4-week waitlist condition. Degree of food craving, perceived power of food, restraint capabilities and psychological symptoms were assessed pre- and post- a 4-week treatment program (mixed method ANOVA comparative analysis), and at 6-month follow-up (repeated measure ANOVA with group data collapsed). EFT was associated with a significantly greater improvement in food cravings, the subjective power of food and craving restraint than waitlist from pre- to immediately post-test (p < .05). Across collapsed groups, an improvement in food cravings and the subjective power of food after active EFT treatment was maintained at 6 months, and a delayed effect was seen for craving restraint. Although there was a significant reduction in measures of psychological distress immediately after treatment (p < .05), there was no between-group difference. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that EFT can have an immediate effect on reducing food cravings and can result in maintaining reduced cravings over time.

Keywords

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)food cravingsweightenergy psychologysubjective power of food
Type
Standard Papers
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , 01 May 2011 , pp. 1 - 16
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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