Lower weight loss expectations and healthier eating attitudes in older overweight and obese women attempting weight loss.

Weight loss outcomes in overweight and obese individuals may be influenced by individual weight loss expectations (WLEs). Research on these phenomena in older women is lacking. This cross-sectional study compared groups of younger and older women on their WLEs and related attitudes (body dissatisfaction and disordered eating). Twenty-six younger (18-38 years) and 33 older (60-78 years) overweight and obese women were recruited from a weight loss clinic, prior to treatment. Disordered eating attitudes and body dissatisfaction were assessed using validated questionnaires and a pictorial figure-choice scale. Participants reported 10 WLEs categorized according to personal, lifestyle and social factors. Overall, women with a higher body mass index had greater WLEs. Older women reported lower WLEs than younger women (-14.5 kg vs. -22.4 kg) in all categories except past weight. Older women perceived that career success would necessitate the greatest level of weight loss (-18.5 kg), whereas younger women derived their greatest WLEs from mass media (-28.5 kg). Both older and younger groups perceived that their families would be supportive of the smallest amount of weight loss (-8.4 and -17.6 kg, respectively). The groups did not differ on body dissatisfaction, but younger women's disordered eating attitudes were significantly higher (p < .001). Older overweight and obese women have lower WLEs than younger women but experience similar levels of body dissatisfaction and healthier eating attitudes. The attitudinal constructs underlying these differences may be useful in clinical practice to tailor age-specific weight loss interventions.

Hypolipidic diet and phytosubstance supplement in hypercholesterolemia.

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of phyto-supplements on hyperlipidemia. METHODS: For this study 191 patients, affected by hyperlipidemia, attending the Outpatient Clinics of Clinical Medicine Department, were recruited. The patients were divided in two groups. The first group (80) has been treated with hypolipidic diet for six months (group D). The second one (111) has been administered with hypolipidic diet and supplement (red yeast, guggulsterones, flavonoid, sylimarin) (group E). Anthropometric measurements and bioimpedance analysis were evaluated before and after treatment. Moreover, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides (TG) and hepatic transaminases (AST, ALT) were measured before, after 3 and 6 months of treatment. RESULTS: D group showed a significant reduction in BMI (32.6 ± 0.7 vs. 34.3 ± 0.7 kg/m²), waist circumference (104.4 ± 1.6 vs. 108.3 ± 1.5 cm), hip circumference (107.9 ± 1.1 vs. 111.2 ± 1.1 cm), total cholesterol (214.2 ± 3.7 vs. 236.6 ± 2.2 mg/dL, -9.4 ± 68.2%), LDL cholesterol (133 ± 3 vs. 152.9 ± 2.8 mg/dL, -13 ± 7.1%). E group showed a significant reduction in BMI (30.2 ± 0.7 vs. 32.6 ± 0.6 kg/m²), waist circumference (94.5 ± 1.6 vs. 101.3 ± 1.3 cm), hip circumference (106.6 ± 1.1 vs. 110.5 ± 1 cm), total cholesterol (212.4 ± 3.7 vs. 256.9 ± 2.1 mg/dL, -17.3 ± 76.2%), LDL cholesterol (133.4 ± 3.4 vs. 168.4 ± 2.3 mg/dL, -20.8 ± 47.8%). CONCLUSION: Low fat diet, associated to phyto-substance supplement, have been proven useful to decrease serum cholesterol level and to improve nutritional status.

Weight loss expectations and body dissatisfaction in young women attempting to lose weight.

BACKGROUND: Unrealistic weight loss expectations (WLEs) and greater body dissatisfaction may be associated with the poor long-term outcomes of dietary and lifestyle weight loss treatments. We evaluated the association between body size, WLEs and body dissatisfaction in young women attempting to lose weight. METHODS: Forty-four young healthy women [age range 18-35 years, body mass index (BMI) range 23-40 kg/m2] were recruited. Women were classified as obese (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2) and non-obese (BMI <30.0 kg/m2). The Body Dissatisfaction scale of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 and the Body Image Assessment for Obesity silhouette charts were used to assess body dissatisfaction. WLEs were categorised according to personal (ideal, happiness, satisfaction, weight history), lifestyle (fitness) and social (career, family acceptance, peer acceptance, mass media, social pressure) factors. Individual WLEs were compared with recommended clinical targets (5%, 10% and 20%) for weight loss. RESULTS: Body dissatisfaction was lower in non-obese subjects and was directly associated with BMI (P < 0.05). WLEs were directly associated with BMI and the obese group reported greater expectations. Five non-obese subjects (23%) desired to lose more than 20% of their body weight, whereas the proportion was significantly higher in the obese group (17 subjects; 74%). Subjects derived the greatest WLEs from mass media, whereas they perceived that family and friends were supportive of a lesser degree of weight loss. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a mismatch between clinical and personal expectations, and social pressure and interpersonal relationships appear to have a prominent role with respect to influencing the association.

Association of the body adiposity index (BAI) with metabolic risk factors in young and older overweight and obese women.

PURPOSE: Body adiposity index (BAI) is a novel index for the assessment of percentage fat mass (FM%). We tested the association between BAI and metabolic outcomes in overweight and obese women of different ages. METHODS: 260 young women (24.7 ± 5.3 years, 31.0 ± 5.0 kg/m(2)) and 328 older women (66.9 ± 4.6 years, 34.8 ± 4.7 kg/m(2)) were recruited. BAI was calculated using hip circumference and height. Bioimpedance analysis was used to measure FM%. Metabolic risk was assessed using a composite z score integrating standardised measurements of fasting glucose, total cholesterol, liver enzymes and triglycerides. RESULTS: The association between BAI and FM% was modest in both young (r = 0.56, p < 0.001) and older (r = 0.49, p < 0.001) groups. BAI was directly associated with metabolic risk in young women (r = 0.29, p < 0.001), whereas it showed a weak, inverse association in the older group (r = -0.14, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: BAI validity needs to be re-assessed in older individuals for better definition of its predictive accuracy.

Assessment of eating behaviour in young women requesting nutritional counselling and their mothers.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the influence of maternal eating behaviour on a clinical population of young women compared with a non-clinical one. METHODS: A group of 59 young women (age 16-30 yr) attending a weight-loss Clinic and their mothers (n=59; age 37-64 yr) were enrolled. They were compared with a group of female students (n=59; age 18-36 yr) and their mothers (n=59; age 41-67 yr). Body weight and height were measured and body mass index (BMI) calculated. Eating behaviour was assessed by using the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI), Eating Inventory (EI) and Eating Attitude Test 26 (EAT-26). RESULTS: The EDI-2 scales significantly different between the groups were drive for thinness, bulimia, body dissatisfaction, inadequacy, enteroceptive awareness and insecurity. The EI scales values were all different between the groups and consistently higher in the clinical populations. The differences between groups were even more striking for the EAT-26 scales; the clinical young women had the highest scores. The daughter-mother correlation for each scale in the clinical and non-clinical groups showed that the EDI-2 scales assessing eating behaviour, drive for thinness, bulimia and body dissatisfaction, were significantly related in the non clinical group but not in the clinical group. On the other side, the clinical group showed correlation for the scales assessing psychopathological traits such as perfectionism, interpersonal disrupt, enteroceptive awareness, impulsivity and insecurity. For EI scales the correlation was significant for disinhibition in the non clinical group. A correspondence was observed for dieting in the non clinical group and for food preoccupation in the clinical group. EDI-2, EI and EAT-26 scales assessing eating behaviour were strongly predictive of BMI in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal eating behaviour influences the young women; in particular mothers-daughters of the clinical group showed some problems, for which they still had to grow up and stand out. Finally, the control population revealed some eating disorders as well.