Weight management is a critical issue in developed countries where the prevalence of obesity is increasing. Poor long-term success observed with current weight-control strategies stresses the relevance to explore new weight management approaches. One of these approaches, referred to as Health-At-Every-Size (HAES), is a new weight paradigm that focuses on a healthy lifestyle by promoting overall health benefits of behavioral changes related to dietary habits and physical activity and emphasizes self-acceptance and well-being, independently of body weight status. Studies on the effects of a HAES approach have shown significant improvements in metabolic and psychological variables.~To our knowledge, no study has yet reported the short and long-term impacts of a HAES approach on a cluster of variables (psychological, morphological, metabolic, and nutritional) in women. The aim of this study is to measure the effects of a HAES approach on global health status of premenopausal overweight women preoccupied about their weight and who have been unsuccessful in previous weight loss attempts. In this parallel controlled trial, women will be randomized to one of the 3 treatment conditions: HAES group, Social support group (SS), or Control group. Measurements will be taken in the short term as well as in the long term (up to 1 year post-intervention).
The purpose of this study is to measure the effects of a Health-At-Every-Size (HAES) approach on global health status of premenopausal overweight women preoccupied about their weight and who have been unsuccessful in previous weight loss attempts.