title: Personality traits and body mass index in a Korean population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Overweight and obesity is a serious problem worldwide related to cardiovascular and other diseases. Personality traits are associated with the abnormal body mass indices (BMIs) indicative of overweight and obesity. However, the links between personality traits and BMI have been little studied in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the association between personality traits and BMI in men and women using the rural Ansung and urban Ansan cohort from the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study, and the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Cohort Study datasets. A shorter version of the original Revised Neuroticism-Extroversion-Openness Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) was used to measure the five-factor model of personality (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from a total of 1,495 men (mean age 60.0 ± 9.8 years; mean BMI 24.3 ± 3.0 kg/m2) and 2,547 women (mean age 47.0 ± 15.5 years; mean BMI 22.8 ± 3.4 kg/m2) were included in the analysis. Compared with the normal weight groups, overweight and obese men scored higher on openness to experience and lower on conscientiousness. Overweight and obese women scored lower on neuroticism and openness to experience and higher on agreeableness. Extraversion was positively associated with BMI in men (β=0.032, P<0.05). BMI and waist circumference were significantly increased in individuals who were less dutiful. In women, neuroticism was inversely associated with BMI (β=-0.026, P<0.05). Openness to experience was negatively, and agreeableness was positively, associated with BMI (openness to experience: β=-0.072, agreeableness β=0.068) and waist circumference (openness to experience: β=-0.202, agreeableness: β=0.227) (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Personality traits were associated with underweight, overweight, and obesity in men and women. Increased understanding of the underlying factors contributing to this association will aid in the prevention and treatment of abnormal BMI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul Seonam Hospital, Ewha Womans University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Unjin
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Ewha Womans University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Han-Na
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Ewha Womans University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Ju
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Ajou University, School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Nam H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Chol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seungho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yeon-Ah
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Ewha Womans University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung-Lae
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011446:Prospective Studies; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D055105:Waist Circumference