Article
Details
Citation
Robinson E, Sutin AR & Daly M (2018) Self-perceived overweight, weight loss attempts, and weight gain: Evidence from two large, longitudinal cohorts. Health Psychology, 37 (10), pp. 940-947. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000659
Abstract
Objective: Self-identification of overweight is associated with a greater desire to lose weight, but also counterintuitively with increased future weight gain. The present research examined whether weight loss attempts mediate the prospective relation between self-perceived weight status and weight gain across adolescence and young adulthood.
Method: Data from 2 longitudinal cohort studies was used. Study 1 tested whether the association between self-perceived weight status and weight gain (from age 10/11–14/15 years) was mediated by weight loss attempts among Australian adolescents. Study 2 focused on young adults based in the United States and examined whether attempts at weight loss mediated the relation between self-perceived overweight and weight gain from ages 16 to 28 years.
Results: In Study 1, self-perceived weight status among adolescents was associated with greater weight gain and weight loss attempts mediated 16% of this relation. In Study 2, young adults who perceived their weight status as overweight gained more weight over time and weight loss attempts mediated 27% of this relation.
Conclusions: Adolescents and young adults that identify they are overweight are more likely to gain weight over time and weight loss attempts appear to mediate this effect.
Journal
Health Psychology: Volume 37, Issue 10
Status | Published |
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Funders | and |
Publication date | 31/10/2018 |
Publication date online | 20/09/2018 |
Date accepted by journal | 04/06/2018 |
URL | |
ISSN | 0278-6133 |
eISSN | 1930-7810 |