Evaluating the Effectiveness and Feasibility of the RENew-ED Group
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Quasi-Experimental Mixed-Methods Study: Investigating the effectiveness and feasibility of the Recovery in Exercise and Nutrition for Eating Disorders (RENew-ED) group
IRAS ID
353578
Contact name
Kerry Hill
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 1 days
Research summary
Eating disorders are a group of mental health conditions whereby the individual will alter their food intake and engage in inappropriate behaviours due to weight and/or shape concerns. Compulsive and maladaptive exercise is a feature of eating disorders, and can be defined as movement which is: rigid or rule-based and/or undertaken to regulate emotions and/or completed to prevent any perceived negative outcomes (such as weight gain). It has been shown in the research that people with eating disorders who engage in compulsive or maladaptive exercise may have negative treatment outcomes.
This study will investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of a pilot five-session intervention called the Recovery in Exercise and Nutrition for Eating Disorders group (RENew-ED group). The group will be an adjunct therapy to usual eating disorder treatment for healthy weight participants with eating disorders. The group will aim to reduce compulsive and maladaptive exercise behaviours, improve nutritional intake to support exercise, and increase appropriate use of rest and recovery, to overall encourage healthy exercise. It will do this through use of education, reflection, therapeutic techniques and group discussion.
The group’s aims, effectiveness, and feasibility will be assessed through use of questionnaires and other measures such as weights, body mass index (which can indicate if someone is a healthy weight), as well as demographics. These measures will be taken before, immediately after, and three months after the RENew-ED group. The study will also gather information on number of people recruited and drop-outs. Given this is a pilot study, it will only investigate pre and post test values for one group and the study will not include a control group.
REC name
South East Scotland REC 01
REC reference
25/SS/0018
Date of REC Opinion
7 Mar 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion