Objectives. The effectiveness of a cognitive and a behavioural treatment fo
r obese binge eaters and obese non-binge eaters was evaluated at I-year fol
low-up. Furthermore, we examined the role of weight changes on psychologica
l well-being at I-year follow-up.
Design and method. Participants were reassessed 6 months and I year after t
hey had finished a group cognitive treatment or a group behavioural treatme
nt. The outcome measures were; psychological well-being (concerns about sha
pe, weight and eating, self-esteem and depression), binge eating, and weigh
t.
Results and conclusions. Analyses on the completers' sample revealed that b
oth treatments had a markedly positive and lasting impact on shape concern,
weight concern and eating concern, binge eating, self-esteem, and depressi
on at 1-year followup. Cognitive treatment was not superior to behavioural
treatment on most outcome measures. This might be due to selective drop-out
, Analyses including non-responders showed that the cognitive treatment was
superior on shape, weight and eating concern, and binge eating. The I-year
follow-up results for weight-loss were disappointing. Between pre-treatmen
t and 1-year follow-up participants in the behaviour treatment lost 3.0 kg,
while participants in the cognitive treatment lost 0.3 kg. However, partic
ipants who gained weight were as successful on changes in psychological wel
l-being changes as participants who lost weight.