ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to assess the relative contribution of personality and emotional experience to self-reported eating attitudes in a group of patients with clinically diagnosed eating disorders, a weight-reduction training group (Weight Watchers), and a control group without body weight problems. Participants in this study (N = 114) completed Estonian versions of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2; Garner, 1991), NEO Personality Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1989), and Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule, Expanded Form (Watson & Clark, 1994). Data demonstrated validity of the Estonian version of EDI-2 in its ability to identify problems on a continuum of disordered eating behavior. Among the Big Five personality dimensions, Neuroticism made the largest contribution to EDI-2 subscales. Two other dimensions, Openness to Experience and Conscientiousness, also predispose individuals to eating problems. Personality traits made a larger contribution to the self-reported eating pathology than the self-rated effects experienced during the last few weeks. It was argued that personality dispositions have a larger relevancy in the etiology of eating disorders than emotional state.
Subject(s)
Affect/physiology , Anorexia Nervosa/psychology , Body Image , Body Weight , Bulimia/psychology , Personality Disorders/diagnosis , Personality Disorders/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Anorexia Nervosa/complications , Bulimia/complications , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Personality Assessment , Personality Disorders/complications , Self ConceptABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether weight cycling is detrimental to the changes in glucose tolerance in obese individuals without overt NIDDM and related to the amplitude of weight cycling. DESIGN: Historical prospective observational study of a hospital-based cohort. SUBJECTS: One hundred twenty-five obese individuals drawn from the medical records of the Hospital of Endocrinology, University of Tartu, in whom at least one weight cycle was detected. Selected cutoff value for weight cycling set to 3, 6, 9 and 12 kg of weight loss and subsequent regain. MEASUREMENTS: Weight measurements and oral glucose tolerance tests. The latest oral glucose tolerance test and the one during the first visit compared by the 2 h blood glucose values and areas under the blood glucose curve. RESULTS: No deterioration of glucose tolerance recorded in any of the groups with different cutoff values for weight cycling. No trend towards the deterioration of glucose tolerance with increasing amplitude of weight cycles. CONCLUSION: We cannot claim that weight cycling is detrimental to glucose tolerance in non-diabetic obese individuals. This effect is independent of the amplitude of weight cycling. Weight reduction may be recommended to obese individuals for the prevention of NIDDM even if it is unsuccessful and the phenomenon of weight cycling results.
