Weighing patients regularly is an important component of eating disorder treatment, yet it can be a significant source blind weighing, a method that ensures patients do not see their weights during assessments. Research suggests that collecting blind weights can reduce anxiety, improve treatment adherence, and enhance motivation for recovery. By shifting the focus away from the number on the scale, clinicians can help patients build a healthier relationship with their bodies. Additionally, numberless scales offer a modern approach to blind weighing, making the process more seamless and effective for both in-person and remote care.

What is blind weighing and why does it matter? 

For individuals recovering from eating disorders, weight monitoring is often a necessary part of treatment–but it can also be a significant source of stress and anxiety. Many patients experience heightened emotions around weigh-ins, which can lead to increased fixation on numbers, and in some cases, disengagement from treatment. 

Blind weighing is a clinical approach designed to minimize these concerns while still allowing healthcare providers to track a patient’s weight-related progress. By removing the focus from the number on the scale, blind weighing helps create a more supportive, recovery-focused environment, reducing the likelihood of obsessive behaviors to weight monitoring. 

Blind weights versus open weights?

Eating disorder treatment protocols typically use one of two weight-tracking methods:

• Open weighing: Patients see their weight at the time of measurement. While this approach promotes transparency, it can also heighten anxiety and reinforce disordered behaviors such as obsessive tracking or cue emotional responses to weight fluctuations.
• Blind weighing: Patients are weighed, but the number is not disclosed to them. Instead, only their clinician accesses and tracks this information.  

Variations in blind weighing practices

There are a few variations on collecting blind weight. Some clinicians don’t give away any clues about the patient’s weight. However, you may decide to tell them the direction of the change: whether their weight has gone up,down, or remained stable. If a patient is working towards a medically recommended weight range, clinicians may offer progress updates without revealing specific numbers. 

Due to weight monitoring being highly sensitive for many eating disorder patients, it’s important for clinicians to have an open conversation with each patient to determine the most supportive and effective approach for treatment. Regardless of how blind weighing is implemented, HIPAA compliance is critical to ensure that patient data remains secure. Healthie’s practice management platform provides a HIPAA-compliant and PCI-compliant solution for securely storing and sharing weight data with a patient’s care team. 

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How can blind weights be beneficial for eating disorder treatment?

About 50% of clinicians use open weights, and 50% use blind weights. There’s a lack of empirical evidence about which method is more effective, but qualitative research indicates that blind weighing may offer distinct advantages for eating disorder treatment.

One of the primary benefits of blind weighing is reducing anxiety. Many patients experience heightened stress when confronted with their weight, which can exacerbate eating disorder symptoms. By eliminating direct exposure to weight measurements, blind weighing can help patients focus on recovery rather than numbers.  This is particularly important as up to half of individuals receiving eating disorder treatment discontinue their program prematurely. Poor treatment engagement is a major barrier to eating disorder recovery.and the stress surrounding weigh-ins may contribute to high drop-out rates. Implementing blind weighing can be a valuable strategy for improving treatment adherence. 

Blind weights also encourage comfort with weight uncertainty. Many individuals  engage in obsessive weight-checking behaviors, fixating on minor fluctuations.cRemoving access to weight data shifts the focus away from the numbers, empowering patients to develop healthier, long-term relationships with their bodies. Over time, patients can form better habits as they realize that their overall wellbeing is far more important than any measurement, reinforcing sustainable recovery habits.

Best practices for collecting blind weights

Blind weighing should be approached with care to ensure accuracy, consistency, and patients comfort. Whether using traditional methods or leveraging technology, clinicians must create a process that minimizes stress while maintaining reliable data. 

Traditional methods for blind weighing

Many clinicians rely on simple techniques such as stepping on the scale backwards or asking their patient to look away. While these methods can be effective, they still carry some risk. Some patients may still glance at their weight, whether deliberately or not. Others might feel concerned about relying on someone else to accurately capture their measurements. 

Additionally, traditional methods of blind weighing can introduce inconsistencies if different team members use various scales or measurement techniques. If weights are recorded manually and transferred into an EHR, the potential for human error increases, further complicating the tracking process. 

Using technology to improve accuracy and compliance in blind weighing

Advancements in digital health tools are making blind weighing more effective and precise. Numberless scales are quickly becoming a popular tool for eating disorder recovery for both in-person and remote monitoring. These scales do not display a number but instead capture a patient’s weight and securely transmit the data to a  secure online portal that can only be accessed by their clinician.

For virtual eating disorder treatment programs, these tools are even more valuable. Patients can step on the scale at home using a connected app, which confirms that their weight has been recorded without revealing the number. This approach helps to track progress without spiking stress levels. Numberless scales often integrate directly with EHR systems, reducing errors, improving workflows, and providing clinicians with valuable data to track progress. 

Healthie supports clinicians in eating disorder treatments

Healthie is committed to providing clinicians with the tools they need to deliver high-quality care, including solutions for collecting blind weights. Through the Healthie’s integration marketplace, the Harbor, providers can access a variety of solutions designed to streamline patient management and improve treatment outcomes.

Included in the solutions available are numberless scales. By using these tools that integrate directly with Healthie’s EHR and patient engagement platform, clinicians can monitor patient progress seamlessly, tracking weight data securely and offering effective in-person or remote care. Healthie’s HIPAA-compliant platform makes it easier for clinicians to provide reliable, compassionate care that supports their patients’ mental and physical well-being during eating disorder treatment.