title: A mixed-methods investigation of psychological factors relevant to weight maintenance.
abstract: This study investigated perceptions of and engagement with the concepts of planning and problem-solving, within a weight management sample. A total of 53 participants (62% female, 20-74 years old) completed a semi-structured interview and quantitative measures after a 16-week weight maintenance period. Preliminary weight maintainers (who had maintained losses of, at least 10% of their original weight) were compared with heavier-than-baseline participants (who had re-gained more weight than was originally lost). The maintainers exhibited stronger problem-solving skills ( p < .05). The heavier-than-baseline participants tended towards non-rational problem-solving styles. Qualitatively, the maintainers described more planning events and were more accepting of mistakes than the heavier-than-baseline participants. Implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: 1 The University of Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Amanda Ellen
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Dibb-Smith
authors.affiliation: 2 CSIRO, Australia.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brindal
authors.affiliation: 3 Flinders University, Australia.
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.affiliation: 2 CSIRO, Australia.
authors.forename: Manny
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noakes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000068959:Body Weight Maintenance / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: dichotomous thinking; planning; problem-solving skills; weight maintenance; weight re-gain