Does Language Used for Describing Weight Loss Goals Matter?

The analytical language used was associated with greater weight loss success and a lower likelihood of attrition while setting a weight loss goal, according to a study published in the journal PLOS. Obesity affects millions of individuals worldwide and is associated with a significantly increased risk for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Outcomes for behavioral interventions treating obesity vary widely with some individuals dropping off the program before they receive the full intervention.

Yet the factors contributing to attrition or weight loss are poorly understood. To better understand how language may affect weight loss and program attrition, researchers conducted a retrospective study of 1,350 Noom Weight – an app-based weight management program – users paid to participate in a 16-week program.

How do you Talk About Weight Loss?

Each participant set an initial goal and interacted with a coach to provide more detail about their weight loss goals. Researchers then analyzed the language using an automated text analysis program and calculated weight loss as well as weight loss and the dropout rate by analyzing program activity data.

They found that in goal striving conversations, such as talking to a coach about efforts to pursue a goal, analytical versus present-focused language was associated with greater weight loss and a lower likelihood of attrition.

These results are among the first to identify individuals’ language, which has not been studied much previously, as relevant and informative for understanding weight loss and dropout.

Using analytical language, for example analyzing what’s important and why, predicts more weight loss and less program attrition on a digital weight loss program.

On the other hand, using words that are more self-focused or present-focused like ‘I’ and ‘me’ predict less weight loss and more attrition.

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While these findings may be useful, the study did not examine other related variables, for example, the effects of education level or English proficiency on goal-setting language. Future studies should focus on the factors mediating the relationship between language and outcomes to confirm exactly why analytical language is helpful.

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Source-Medindia