The Relationship between Psychological Factors and Weight Gain

Weightism in Asia: A Narrative Review and Implications for Practice

Weightism, also known as weight-related discrimination, is pervasive and believed to be one of the socially accepted types of discrimination in Asia. Weightism is pervasive, impactful, and has significant repercussions on individuals grappling with excess weight. Despite being a major risk factor for obesity, excess weight is not well documented in the Asian literature. This narrative review explores compelling evidence indicating that weightism adversely affects both physical and psychological well-being across various aspects of life. Research findings suggest that weightism be deemed socially unacceptable in Asia to mitigate the obesity epidemic and enhance overall well-being. Consequently, several recommendations for reducing weight stigma in Asian culture are proposed to support a healthier future.

Body mass as a result of psychological, lifestyle and genetic determinants. A pilot study involving overweight/obese and normal weight women in their early adulthood

AIM

The causes of obesity and overweight are complex and depend on mutually interrelated groups of lifestyle, psychological and genetic factors. Among 46 identified point mutations known within FTO gene, mutation SNP rs9939609 has the strongest effect on an increase in body weight. Therefore, the study aimed to assess psychological, lifestyle and genetic factors (expressed by the frequency of the FTO SNP rs-9939609 gene variant) and their association with body weight in young adult women.

METHODS

We genotyped FTO rs9939609 SNP in cheek swabs collected from 49 women aged 18-35, equally with and without overweight and obesity. Eating behaviour was defined based on the Questionnaire of Eating-Related Behaviors (QERB) and physical activity by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Classical anthropometric indices and the body composition analysis results measured by bioelectrical impedance were used to characterise nutritional status.

RESULTS

Overweight/obese participants had significantly higher body composition parameters than normal-weight participants, along with lower physical activity levels and more time spent sitting. Overweight/obese women presented significantly higher scores in emotional overeating, habitual overeating, and dietary restrictions, indicating more problematic eating behaviors compared to normal-weight individuals. No significant differences were observed in BMI, lifestyle factors, or eating behaviors across FTO gene variants (AA, AT, and TT). However, the TT and AT FTO gene variant groups showed significant positive correlations between habitual overeating and key measures of body weight (BMI, WC, and FM). In contrast, the AA variant group exhibited fewer associations between psychological and lifestyle factors with body weight.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychological and lifestyle factors, particularly overeating behaviors, were more strongly associated with increased body weight in women with the TT and AT variants of the FTO SNP rs-9939609 gene, highlighting the potential influence of genetic predisposition on eating habits and weight status in this population. Proper eating habits and high physical activity play an important role in preventing overweight and obesity regardless of the genotype that poses a potential risk of weight gain. The study's findings bring practical implications for health education and health psychology.

Weight Changes and Unhealthy Weight Control Behaviors Are Associated With Dysmenorrhea in Young Women

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of dysmenorrhea and to investigate the effect of weight changes or unhealthy weight control behaviors on dysmenorrhea in young Korean women.

METHODS

We used large-scale data of women, aged 14 to 44 years, who participated in the Korean Study of Women's Health-Related Issues. Dysmenorrhea was measured using a visual analog scale and was categorized as none, mild, moderate, and severe according to the severity. Weight changes and unhealthy weight control behaviors (any of the behaviors, fasting/meal skipping, drugs, the use of unapproved dietary supplements, and one-food diets) over the past year were self-reported. We used multinomial logistic regression to investigate the association between weight changes or unhealthy weight control behaviors and dysmenorrhea.

RESULTS

Of the 5,829 young women participating in the study, 5,245 (90.0%) participants experienced dysmenorrhea [2,184 (37.5%) had moderate and 1,358 (23.3%) had severe]. After adjusting for confounders, the odds ratios for moderate and severe dysmenorrhea in participants with weight changes ≥ 3 kg (vs. < 3 kg) were 1.19 (95% confidence interval: 1.05-1.35) and 1.25 (95% confidence interval: 1.08-1.45), respectively. The odds ratios in participants with any unhealthy weight control behaviors were 1.22 (95% confidence interval: 1.04-1.42) and 1.41 (95% confidence interval: 1.19-1.67) for those with moderate and severe dysmenorrhea, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Weight changes (≥ 3 kg) or unhealthy weight control behaviors are common among young women, which may adversely affect dysmenorrhea. Therefore, attention needs to be paid to excessive weight changes and unhealthy weight control behaviors to improve dysmenorrhea in young women.

Gender Differences in the Relationships between Perceived Stress, Eating Behaviors, Sleep, Dietary Risk, and Body Mass Index

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a growing epidemic among university students, and the high levels of stress reported by this population could contribute to this issue. Singular relationships between perceived stress; engagement in restrained, uncontrolled, and emotional eating; sleep; dietary risk; and body mass index (BMI) have been reported in the current body of literature; however, these constructs interact with each other, and the complex relationships among them are infrequently examined. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the complex relationships between these constructs using mediation and moderation analyses stratified by gender.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study, enrolling university students from the United States (U.S.), the Netherlands, South Korea, Malaysia, Ireland, Ghana, and China, was conducted between October 2020 and January 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Perceived stress; maladaptive eating behaviors including restrained, uncontrolled, and emotional eating; sleep duration and quality; dietary risk; and BMI were assessed using validated questionnaires, which were distributed through an online platform.

RESULTS

A total of 1392 students completed the online survey (379 male, 973 female, and 40 who self-identified as "other"). Uncontrolled and emotional eating mediated the relationship between perceived stress and dietary risk for both males and females; higher sleep quality weakened this relationship among female students but not males. Emotional eating mediated the relationship between perceived stress and BMI for both males and females, but higher sleep quality weakened this relationship only among females.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that students in higher education are likely to benefit from interventions to reduce uncontrolled and emotional eating. Programs that improve sleep quality, especially during highly stressful periods, may be helpful.

Physical Activity, Stress, Depression, Emotional Intelligence, Logical Thinking, and Overall Health in a Large Lithuanian from October 2019 to June 2020: Age and Gender Differences Adult Sample

This study aimed to examine relationships and group differences among adult people’s (aged 18–74) physical activity (PA), expression of stress, depression, emotional intelligence (EI), logical thinking (LT), and overall health assessment. Two hypotheses were formulated before the study. The first hypothesis is that overweight and obesity in young adults (18 to 34 years) females and males, in particular, should increase sharply and this should be associated with decreased PA, abruptly deteriorating subject health, increased stress, depression, and poorer emotion management and EI. Second hypothesis: We further thought that the better people’s reflective thinking, the more they should live a healthier life (e.g., exercise more and eat healthier), their overweight and obesity should be small or none. We aimed to confirm or reject these two hypotheses. We applied a quantitative cross-sectional study design. The study results revealed that during the lifespan of 18–24 and 25–34 years (young adults) there was a sharp increase in overweight and obesity, a decrease in PA (and especially vigorous physical activity (VPA)) (and this was particularly evident in the male), while research participants felt less stress and depression, subjective assessment of health did not change, and EI increased steadily with age (18–24 to 65–74 years). The higher the EI of the research participants from 18–24 to 65–74 years of age the higher their moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), the less stress and depression they felt. Based on the results, it can be said that both females and males prefer PA “with a hot heart rather than a cold mind.” We base this conclusion on the fact that females and males who have the highest EI also have the highest MVPA while LT is not associated with MVPA.

The Use of Self-Help Strategies in Obesity Treatment. A Narrative Review Focused on Hypnosis and Mindfulness

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aim of this narrative review was to summarize the evidence evaluating the possibilities and limitations of self-hypnosis and mindfulness strategies in the treatment of obesity.

RECENT FINDINGS

Psychological factors, such as mood disorders and stress, can affect eating behaviors and deeply influence weight gain. Psychological approaches to weight management could increase the motivation and self-control of the patients with obesity, limiting their impulsiveness and inappropriate use of food. The cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) represents the cornerstone of obesity treatment, but complementary and self-directed psychological interventions, such as hypnosis and mindfulness, could represent additional strategies to increase the effectiveness of weight loss programs, by improving dysfunctional eating behaviors, self-motivation, and stimulus control. Both hypnosis and mindfulness provide a promising therapeutic option by improving weight loss, food awareness, self-acceptance of body image, and limiting food cravings and emotional eating. Greater effectiveness occurs when hypnosis and mindfulness are associated with other psychological therapies in addition to diet and physical activity. Additional research is needed to determine whether these strategies are effective in the long term and whether they can be routinely introduced into the clinical practice.