Obesity prevention: a pilot study on community workshops delivered by art therapists

ABSTRACT Background Overweightness, obesity, pre-diabetes, and type 2 diabetes are prevalent and associated with additional physical and mental health problems in the US. Aims The primary aims were to explore the potential efficacy of six one-time psychosocial art-based community workshops for obesity and disease prevention in increasing motivation to change health and eating behaviours, and confidence in the ability to manage emotional eating. An additional aim assessed if the workshops would be positively evaluated by community participants. Methods This programme evaluation used a pre-test post-test one-group design to explore the effectiveness of the psychosocial art-based community workshops (N = 40). The workshop included an empirically supported drawing protocol. Hypotheses included: (1) increased motivation to change health and eating behaviours, (2) increased confidence in the ability to manage emotional eating, and (3) high workshop satisfaction. Results Motivation to change health and eating behaviours significantly increased, but confidence in managing emotional eating did not. Workshops received positive evaluations. Conclusions Participation in the psychosocial art-based community workshops inspired motivation to change health and eating behaviours. Implications Art therapists should consider using psychosocial art-based community workshops to generate motivation for change and prevent obesity. Plain-language summary There is an established connection between overweightness, obesity, pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and other physical and mental health problems. Psychological, community, and art-based interventions have been shown to improve weight management and associated problems. Multidisciplinary and integrated approaches, including community, mental, and physical health fields are needed. An integrated psychosocial art-based community workshops for pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and obesity related risk prevention with a community sample of adults was developed and piloted. Motivation to change health and eating behaviours significantly increased, but confidence in managing emotional eating did not significantly change. Workshop evaluation ratings were high, suggesting positive reception of integrated workshops. Overall, results supported the workshop’s potential effectiveness in increasing motivation to change health and eating behaviours.