HPRHealth Psychology ResearchTBA2420-8124Health Psychology Research10.4081/hpr.2013.e10GeneralDo psychological factors help  to reduce body mass in obesity  or is it vice versa?  Selected psychological aspects  and effectiveness of the  weight-loss program in the  obese patientshttps://healthpr.org/journal/HPR/1/1/10.4081/hpr.2013.e10Bąk-SosnowskaMonika,PawlakAdam,Skrzypulec-PlintaVioletta2013112013-01-02The aim of this study was to assess the strength and direction of the correlation between cognitive appraisal, emotional state, social functioning and the effectiveness of a weight-loss program undertaken by obese sub jects. The out-patient weight-loss program encompassed 150 obese women. Assessments were carried out at four time points: at the start of the weight-loss program and then after a 5%, 10% and a 15% reduction of the initial body mass. The research tools used were: a survey, the Situation Appraisal Questionnaire (SAQ), the Emotional State Questionnaire (ESQ), and the Q-Sort Social Functioning Questionnaire. The cognitive appraisal, emo tional state and social functioning of the study group changed significantly (P<0.001). Significantly more individuals with a 15% body mass reduction, as compared with individuals with no body mass reduction, had an early obe sity onset, i.e. at the age of <10 years old (P<0.001). Significantly more individuals with no body mass reduction, compared with indi viduals with a 15% reduction, had a later obe sity onset, i.e. between the ages of 20 and 30 (P<0.001) and between 50 and 60 (P<0.001). Significantly more individuals with a 15% body mass reduction, compared with individuals with no mass reduction, had previously experi enced the jojo effect (P<0.001) and had suc cessfully lost weight (P<0.001). Significantly more individuals with no body mass reduction, compared with individuals with a15% reduc tion, had a history of unsuccessful attempts at reducing body mass (P<0.001). We conclude that the attitude of obese patients towards a weight-loss program is not a deciding factor for its effectiveness. As body mass reduces, the attitude improves.obesity, weight-loss, psychological fac tors, emotions, cognition

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