Personality and the prediction of weight loss and relapse in the treatment of obesity

✍ Scribed by Carlos Poston, Walker S. ;Ericsson, Martin ;Linder, J�rgen ;Nilsson, Thomas ;Goodrick, G. Ken ;Foreyt, John P.

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 128 KB
• Volume: 25
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0276-3478
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1098-108x(199904)25:3<301::aid-eat8>3.0.co;2-p

✦ Synopsis

Objective: This prospective study examined whether stable personality traits, as measured by the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP), predicted initial weight loss or long-term maintenance in obesity patients. Method: The KSP was administered to 102 obese patients prior to entering an 8-week weight loss program. Patients were weighed again at the end of treatment and at 3-and 12-month follow-up. Results: The KSP did not predict initial weight loss after the 8-week program. Several of the KSP scales (Muscle Tension, Monotony Avoidance, Suspicion, and Guilt) had weak associations with 12-month relapse status. Weight gain at the 3-month follow-up was the strongest predictor of 12-month relapse status (O.R. = 0.46; 95% C.I. = 0.32, 0.66). Discussion: Personality traits, as measured by the KSP, do not appear to be important predictors of initial weight loss or 12-month relapse status. Personality assessment may not substantially contribute to predicting treatment outcome in obesity research.