Psychological factors discriminating between successful and unsuccessful weight loss in a behavioral exercise and nutrition education treatment.
BACKGROUND
Psychological and behavioral characteristics that predict success or failure with weight-loss treatments are poorly understood.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess whether social cognitive theory-based factors discriminate between women who are successful and unsuccessful at weight loss.


METHODS
Obese women (BMI = 30 to 45 kg/m(2)) who participated in a treatment of behavioral exercise support counseling and nutrition education were divided into quartiles based on percentage of body weight lost over 6 months. Factors based on social cognitive theory, both at baseline and change over 6 months, and exercise attendance were used to discriminate between the successful (highest quartile, M(change in body weight) = -9.3%; n = 40) and unsuccessful (lowest quartile, M(change in body weight) = 1.9%; n = 37) groups.


RESULTS
Stepwise discriminant analyses indicated that body satisfaction and tension (anxiety) scores at baseline, and changes over 6 months in self-regulatory efficacy and body satisfaction, made significant contributions to predicting group membership (64% and 69% of cases were correctly classified, respectively). Attendance percentage of exercise sessions was significantly greater for the successful weight-loss group, and when added as a predictor, changes in self-regulatory efficacy and attendance made a significant contribution to predicting group membership (81% of cases were correctly classified).


CONCLUSIONS
Further research may enable psychological determinants to better guide weight loss theory and treatments.
Annesi
James J
JJ
YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta, 100 Edgewood Avenue, NE, Suite 1100, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA. jamesa@ymcaatlanta.org
Whitaker
Ann C
AC
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001828:Body Image; D003071:Cognition; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D044623:Nutrition Therapy; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D020377:Self Efficacy; D055105:Waist Circumference; D015431:Weight Loss