Shifting gears: Self-reported attitudes and behaviors during times of weight loss, maintenance, and gain

Abstract

One hundred and eleven respondents who had achieved at least a 15-pound (6.80 kg) weight loss in a 20-week cognitive-behavioral treatment program for obesity were asked 6 to 10 years after treatment to describe their current use of cognitive and behavioral activities during periods of weight maintenance, loss, and gain. Eleven scales were constructed to measure the self-reported frequency with which the cognitive and behavioral efforts were extended for (1) Weight Monitoring; (2) Food Record Monitoring; (3) Calorie Counting; (4) Shopping; ( 5 ) Food Storage and Preparation; (6) Meal Times; (7) Snack Times; (8) Social Occasions; (9) Taste and Satisfaction; (10) Physical Activity; and (1 1) Sports/Exercise. A multivariate repeated-analysis of variance indicated that the respondents increased the mean frequencies with which all 11 of the cognitive and behavioral efforts were used during times of weight loss; these mean frequencies decreased during times of maintenance and decreased still further during times of weight gain. The conclusion was drawn that the respondents were able to differentiate among the types of attitudes and behaviors that they used during times of gain, maintenance, and loss.

Relationship among self-esteem, internal-external locus of control, and weight change after participation in a weight reduction program

“…Research in each of these fields stresses the problems of adherence to and persistence with a diet regimen, relapse, as well as weight regain (Bray, 1987;Brownell & Jeffery, 1987;Golay, Schutz, Felber, Jallut, & Jequier, 1989;Jordan, Canavan, &Steer, 1987;Kramer, Jeffery, Forster, & Snell, 1989;Lukert, 1982;Roughan, Seddow, & Vernon-Roberts, 1990;Stunkard, 1988aStunkard, , 1988b. Human obesity is an heterogenous syndrome (Bennett, 1986;Brownell & Jeffery, 1987;Kramer et al, 1989), and weight loss or regain occurs as a result of a combination of biological, cultural and psychological factors that originally caused the obesity (Brownell & Jeffery, 1987;Feuerstein, Papciak, Shapiro, & Tannenbaum, 1989;Jonson, Bjorvell, Espinark, Levander, & Rossner, 1986;Jordan, Canavan, & Steer, 1986;Kramer et al, 1989;Leon, 1982;Williamson & Levy, 1988). Studies that have tried to account for relapse and regain have used several models: biological, social, learning, and personality (Bjorvell, Edman, & Schalling, 1989;Jonson et al, 1986;Kramer et al, 1989;Lukert, 1982;Stalonas, Perri, & Kerzner, 1984;Stunkard, 1988aStunkard, , 1988b.…”

“…These fluctuating phases may increase subjects' frustration and lead to a relaxation in their efforts to stay on their diet (Schlundt et al, 1989). After 5 years, almost all subjects revert to their pretreatment weight (Jordan, Canavan, & Steer, 1986; Leon, 1982; Schlundt et al, 1989), and the effectiveness of behavioral treatment is diminished (Wadden, Strenberg, Letizia, Stunkard, & Foster, 1989).…”