Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40150896›Full record

ArticleHealth expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy2025

Tackling Loneliness, Ineffective Social Support, and Mental Ill-Health Among People With Higher Weight.

Joanne A Rathbone, Tegan Cruwys, Kate A B Western, Jessica L Donaldson, Catherine Haslam, Elizabeth Rieger, Fiona Tito Wheatland, Paul Dugdale

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Article in Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Joanne A RathboneSchool of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Tegan CruwysSchool of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Kate A B WesternSchool of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Jessica L DonaldsonSchool of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Catherine HaslamSchool of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
Elizabeth RiegerSchool of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Fiona Tito WheatlandHealth Care Consumers Association (ACT), Chifley Health and Wellbeing Hub, Chifley, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Paul DugdaleSchool of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.

Funding

This research was supported by the Australian National University School of Medicine and Psychology Research Support Program.
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesPeople with higher weight are at greater risk of experiencing loneliness and mental ill-health, in part due to challenging social networks that can be unsupportive of efforts to engage in positive health behaviours and a source of weight-based stigma and discrimination. Targeting this issue is a manualised intervention, Groups 4 Health (G4H), that helps people to optimise social connectedness and group-based belonging for effective support to reduce loneliness and mental ill-health. We evaluated the efficacy of this program for people with higher weight. DESIGN AND

participantsWe conducted a matched controlled trial (non-randomised) with 98 Australian adults with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m INTERVENTION AND OUTCOMES: Loneliness, well-being, weight-related social support, depression, and eating disorder symptoms were assessed pre-intervention (T0), post-intervention (T1), and at 4-month follow-up (T2).

resultsAmong the intervention group, loneliness (d = -0.66, p < 0.001), depression (d = -0.58, p < 0.001), and eating disorder symptoms (d = -0.77, p < 0.001) all significantly decreased from T0 to T2. Similarly, well-being (d = 0.80, p < 0.001) and experiences of effective weight-related social support (d = 0.68, p < 0.001) significantly increased from T0 to T2. These positive changes were not observed in the matched control group.

conclusionsThe findings provide strong preliminary support for the efficacy of G4H among people with higher weight to address loneliness and challenging social networks, which pose key psychosocial barriers to health. PATIENT AND PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: The Groups 4 Health program has previously undergone a published codesign and consumer feedback process. The materials for this study were co-produced with a member of the research team with lived experience to ensure that the content was non-stigmatising and relevant to the population of the study. The research team member is a representative of a consumer advocacy association, and contributed to the study design, data collection, interpretation of results, and manuscript revisions.

Indexed as

LonelinessMental DisordersSocial SupportAdultAustraliaBody Mass IndexDepressionFemaleHumansMaleMental HealthMiddle Agedgroup psychotherapymental healthsocial isolationweight stigmawell‐being

Identifiers

PMID40150896
PMCPMC11950156

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