Problem
Excessive weight and obesity in society
Over 50 percent of the population of Poland (53.3%) is overweight and one in four people is obese. Excessive body weight is not only a significant health problem, but also constitutes a considerable economic burden for societies. Poles often declare willingness to lose weight, but they lack effective tools that could support their endeavors.
How can one shift to a healthy and balanced diet, and maintain a healthy body weight long term? Is it easy to change one’s habits and squeeze in 30 minutes of physical activity in one’s daily schedule? Can we lower individual and public healthcare costs arising form overweight and obesity?
Solution
“We Choose Health” – online intervention program
The program, which has been designed following results of psychological research was developed by researchers from SWPS University, under the leadership of Dominika Kwaśnicka, Ph.D.. The online platform provides effective tools for people who want to lose excessive weight. This is the first online application of its kind in Poland.
How does it work? Participants provide information concerning their food- and lifestyle-related behaviors and the researchers develop tailor-made interventions to help the individuals change their habits. This individual approach differentiates the “We Choose Health” program form other commercial initiatives, which are often based solely on reducing daily calorie intake and may bring spectacular albeit short-lived results. Additionally, program participants have access to psychological support provided by e-mail and text messages, and they can use the content of interventions even after completing the program.
As researcher indicates, it is a change of food-related habits and a shift in the whole lifestyle, from sedentary to more active, and not miracle diets, that allow people to lose weight and maintain a healthy BMI. Therefore, the “We Choose Health” program does not impose any dietary recommendations on participants, but rather helps them to change their habits and lifestyles, one day at a time.
The content of the interventions available on the “We Choose Health” platform is research-based and prior to launching the initiative, it was presented to focus groups to ensure that the materials are clear and attractive to potential users.
Why?
As experts in health psychology we are responsible for shaping healthy lifestyles.
People who wish to lose weight usually reach for ready-made low-calorie diets and training regiments as these are regarded to be the easiest and most effective ways of losing weight. Unfortunately, they usually produce the effect yoyo. A science-based approach, on the other hand, which advocates a long-term behavioral shift by developing healthy habits and a change of lifestyle, at first glance seems to be more demanding and more difficult to follow. The participants of the “We Choose Health” discussion groups frequently emphasize that in their attempts to lose weight, they tended to go on restrictive diets as they were not able to develop and follow a balanced diet themselves. However, they also experienced a problem with maintaining a healthy weight, after achieving a desirable initial weight loss. There is a chance that the online platform “We Choose Health” will become a one-stop-shop for people who want to lose weight and maintain a healthy BMI by changing their lifestyles.