title: Temperament as a risk factor for obesity and affective disorders in obese patients in a Polish sample.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main purpose of the study was to investigate temperament traits postulated in the Regulative Theory of Temperament that may contribute as risk factors to obesity and, potentially, to affective disorders in obese patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional design was applied in this study. The study was conducted on a group of 163 obese patients (BMI > 35) that included 59 men and 104 women compared with a control group that included 89 men and 113 women who were non-obese. Temperament was assessed using the formal characteristics of behaviour-temperament inventory (FCB-TI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Obese patients compared with a control group scored lower in briskness, endurance and activity, and higher in perseveration. When compared with obese men, obese women had higher levels of perseveration and emotional reactivity, and showed lower levels of activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Temperament traits, including low levels of briskness, endurance and activity, may serve as risk factors for the development of obesity. Low levels of these traits with accompanying high levels of perseveration may potentially contribute as risk factors for affective disorders in obese patients. The findings suggest that obese women are at somewhat greater risk than obese men for the development of affective disorders.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Stawki 5-7, 00-183, Warsaw, Poland, wlodek@psych.uw.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Włodzimierz
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Oniszczenko
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dragan
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chmura
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lisik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D011044:Poland; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013694:Temperament; D055815:Young Adult