Treatment-Associated Changes in Body Composition, Health Behaviors, and Mood as Predictors of Change in Body Satisfaction in Obese Women

Abstract

A lack of satisfaction with one's body is common among women with obesity, often prompting unhealthy "dieting." Beyond typically slow improvements in weight and body composition, behavioral factors might also affect change in body satisfaction. Age and race/ethnicity (African American vs. White) might moderate such change. Obese women (N = 246; M(age) = 43 years; M BMI = 39 kg/m(2)) initiating a 6-month cognitive-behaviorally based physical activity and nutrition treatment were assessed on possible predictors of body satisfaction change. At baseline, African American and younger women had significantly higher body satisfaction. The treatment was associated with significant within-group improvements in mood, health behaviors (physical activity and fruit/vegetable intake), and body composition (waist circumference). A multiple regression analysis indicated that mood, health behavior, and body composition changes explained a significant 27% of the variance in body satisfaction change. Of these predictors, changes in mood (β = -.36, p < .001) and health behaviors (β = .18, p = .01) made significant, unique contributions to the variance in change in body satisfaction that was accounted for, while only the measure of actual physiological change (body composition) did not. Neither age nor race/ethnicity was a significant moderator when each was entered separately into the multiple regression equation. Practical implications for leveraging manageable changes in behavioral factors for improving body satisfaction were discussed.

Do Black Women’s Religious Beliefs About Body Image Influence Their Confidence in Their Ability to Lose Weight?

“…Despite the high levels of overweight and obesity in our study sample, participants reported moderate levels of body satisfaction, which is consistent with previous studies that found positive body image perceptions among obese black women (6,7,9,). Yet, body satisfaction was not related to motivation or confidence in ability to lose weight.…”

“…Many studies report that black women are less concerned about weight than women in other racial/ethnic groups (4), that they prefer large body shapes (5), that they have high levels of body satisfaction and self-esteem while overweight or obese, and that they tend not to believe that losing weight will improve quality of life (4,6–9). Furthermore, studies showed that black women who lost weight were concerned that they appeared too thin or unwell (10) and worried that a petite body frame might be viewed negatively (eg, as scrawny) (3).…”

Mediation of self‐regulation and mood in the relationship of changes in high emotional eating and nutritional behaviors: Moderating effects of physical activity

“…However, the significant improvements in all measures ended at month 6, and from months 6–24 the consumption of sweets significantly increased by approximately 20% across groups. Findings were consistent with previous research on weight management interventions that applied cognitive‐behaviorally based self‐management skills in nutrition and physical activity to help facilitate short‐term increases in participants’ FV consumption (Annesi, ; Annesi, Tennant & Mareno, ). Increased FV intake and decreased consumption of sweets were independently associated with short term (6 months) and long term (48 months) weight loss among overweight and obese women in another study (Gibbs, Kinzel, Gabriel, Chang & Kuller, ).…”

An Examination of the Impact of Social and Cultural Traditions Contributing to Overweight and Obesity Among Black Women

“…The SCT has shown to be effective in addressing disease prevention and management of conditions like obesity. 20 , 21…”

“…The SCT has shown to be effective in addressing disease prevention and management of conditions like obesity. 20,21 A case study design was adopted using information gathered from 2 sources (1) semi-structured interviews and (2) focus groups.…”