3098 Combined Eating Disorder and Weight Loss Online Guided-Self Help Intervention: A Pilot Study

Abstract

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Among college students with binge-type eating disorders who are overweight (BMI >25), does use of an online, guided self-help program for EDs combined with healthy weight-loss (WL) methods lead to reductions in ED symptoms and weight loss compared to controls referred to standard in-person treatment (Student Health Services)? Aim 1: Develop online, guided self-help program for intervention of ED psychopathology and weight reduction. Aim 2: Implement online, guided self-help program for intervention of ED psychopathology and weight reduction. Aim 3: Follow-up to track remission of ED psychopathology and symptoms and WL maintenance. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Up to N=60 college students who meet the criteria (clinical or sub-clinical binge-type ED and have a BMI > 25) and elect to participate will complete a baseline survey to enroll in the study, then will be randomized into a condition. Students in the intervention group (n=30) will be offered 8 weeks of online, guided self-help intervention for ED and WL. Students in the control group (n=30) will receive an email message encouraging them to seek support from Student Health Services for their WL and eating behavior concerns, along with appropriate contact information. All participants will receive follow-up 9 weeks after completing initial baseline, and a final follow-up survey 6-months after completing their baseline. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Analysis of intervention and control groups will compare average Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ) scores and WL (change in BMI) at the end of the intervention (9 weeks) and at 6-month follow-up. Group comparisons will be assessed via two-way mixed model ANOVA. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Online, guided self-help interventions have been used for WL, as well as for treatment of EDs separately, but no program exists to manage these conditions together. Thus, the use of online intervention for ED psychopathology and WL in individuals with clinical and sub-clinical EDs is the next step. The goal of this study is to implement a program to reduce weight and shape concerns, reduce disordered eating symptoms, such as bingeing, and compensatory behaviors associated with binge-type EDs, while also reducing weight for individuals with EDs and comorbid overweight/obesity. This project will pilot an online, guided self-help ED intervention that offers cognitive behavioral based tools to improve ED symptoms in college students, while also teaching the healthy methods of behavioral WL, for students with clinical/sub-clinical binge-type EDs with comorbid overweight/obesity in order to examine effectiveness of the program compared to referral to Student Health Services for ED and WL concerns. Furthermore, the use of an online, guided self-help intervention is more scalable and can circumvent many of the barriers to traditional in-person treatment.