title: Do Psychological Factors Help to Reduce Body Mass in Obesity or is it Vice Versa? Selected Psychological Aspects and Effectiveness of the Weight-Loss Program in the Obese Patients.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the strength and direction of the correlation between cognitive appraisal, emotional state, social functioning and the effectiveness of a weight-loss program undertaken by obese subjects. The out-patient weight-loss program encompassed 150 obese women. Assessments were carried out at four time points: at the start of the weight-loss program and then after a 5%, 10% and a 15% reduction of the initial body mass. The research tools used were: a survey, the Situation Appraisal Questionnaire (SAQ), the Emotional State Questionnaire (ESQ), and the Q-Sort Social Functioning Questionnaire. The cognitive appraisal, emotional state and social functioning of the study group changed significantly (P<0.001). Significantly more individuals with a 15% body mass reduction, as compared with individuals with no body mass reduction, had an early obesity onset, i.e. at the age of <10 years old (P<0.001). Significantly more individuals with no body mass reduction, compared with individuals with a 15% reduction, had a later obesity onset, i.e. between the ages of 20 and 30 (P<0.001) and between 50 and 60 (P<0.001). Significantly more individuals with a 15% body mass reduction, compared with individuals with no mass reduction, had previously experienced the jojo effect (P<0.001) and had successfully lost weight (P<0.001). Significantly more individuals with no body mass reduction, compared with individuals with a15% reduction, had a history of unsuccessful attempts at reducing body mass (P<0.001). We conclude that the attitude of obese patients towards a weight-loss program is not a deciding factor for its effectiveness. As body mass reduces, the attitude improves.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, School of Health Care, Medical University of Silesia , Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bąk-Sosnowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Katowice School of Economics , Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pawlak
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's Disease Control and Prevention, School of Health Care, Medical University of Silesia , Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Violetta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Skrzypulec-Plinta
keywords: cognition; emotions; obesity; psychological factors; weight-loss