Dierk Jan-Michael, Conradt Matthias, Rauh Elisabeth, Schlumberger Pia, Hebebrand Johannes, Rief Winfried
Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, Philipps-University of Marburg, D-35032 Marburg, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Rheinische Kliniken Essen, Germany.
J Psychosom Res. 2006 Mar;60(3):219-27. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2005.06.083.
Theory and research suggest that the stigma associated with obesity has an impact on the development of social skills and social relationships which may be related to subjective well-being. The main objective was to clarify the associations between BMI (kg/m2), social skills, social support and subjective well-being in a sample of obese subjects.
Cross-sectional study of 226 obese adults (75 females and 151 males) from the general population between the ages of 19 and 74 [mean (SD), 46.9 (13.7) years]. Mean (SD) BMI of the subjects was 36 (5.3).
subjective well-being was measured by the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) and by the Positive And Negative Affect Scales (PANAS). Social support was assessed with scales of the Social Support Questionnaire F-SozU and social skills with a short form of the German Insecurity Questionnaire U-24.
Hierarchical regression analysis showed that social support and social skill measures are relevant predictors of subjective well-being (with both independent and shared influences), while BMI is not. The obese people in our study neither differed from other comparison groups in their subjective well-being, nor did they report greater impairments in social skills or social support.
BMI does not seem to be the major determinant of low subjective well-being in obesity. As in healthy controls, subjective well-being is principally associated with social skills and social support.
