RESUMO
This study was conducted to clarify whether the health locus of control (HLC) is associated with body weight change after adjusting effects of different factors in a general adult population. In male subjects with a normal weight, external locus of control was associated with weight gain, whereas internal locus of control was not significantly correlated with weight loss, after adjusting the effects of factors related to body weight change. Although the external locus of control was associated with weight gain, HLC had a limited effect on body weight change in adults. Besides HLC, the factors significantly correlated with body weight change. Skipping breakfast, napping, and a weight cycling are related to weight gain, whereas obesity and stress were connected with weight loss. A look at gender differences showed that weight gain was associated with marriage, skipping breakfast, napping, and a variable body weight, whereas weight loss was associated with obesity and the declaration of weight reduction in male subjects. In female subjects, weight gain was associated with eating speed and smoking.
