Psychosocial consequences of weight cycling.
Participants were 130 obese women with a mean age of 41.1 +/- 8.4 years and a mean weight of 97.9 +/- 13.5 kg, who reported having undertaken a mean lifetime total of 4.7 +/- 1.2 major diets on which they had lost a mean total of 45.9 +/- 21.4 kg. Participants with a severe history of weight cycling had a significantly younger age of onset of their obesity than did mild cyclers and reported initiating dieting at a significantly younger age and lower weight. No evidence, however, was found that weight cycling was associated with greater reports of depression or other psychopathology; nor was it associated with a significantly greater frequency of binge eating disorder. The results are discussed in terms of the need to use additional measures of psychological functioning.
Bartlett
S J
SJ
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
Wadden
T A
TA
Vogt
R A
RA
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012008:Recurrence; D012649:Self Concept; D012917:Social Adjustment; D015430:Weight Gain; D015431:Weight Loss