Eating behaviors among the participants of an inpatient weight loss treatment.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Eating behaviors play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of excess weight. The aim of the study was to explore the predictors and changes in eating behaviors among overweight and obese patients.

METHODS

The sample of the 6-month prospective survey consisted of patients who participated in the inpatient weight loss treatment program in the Lipidological Department of the Szent Imre Hospital (baseline: N=339, 19% men; follow-up: N=175, 16% men). The mean age was 50.2 years (SD=13.47), the mean BMI was 38.6 (SD=7.58) at baseline. Measures: self-reported anthropometric data, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire Revised 21-Items, CES-D Depression Scale.

RESULTS

According to the results of Multiple Indicators and Multiple Causes analysis, older age predicted greater cognitive restraint (b=0.12, p=0.047). Women were more prone to emotional eating than men (b=0.21, p<0.001). Higher levels of education predicted greater uncontrolled eating (b=0.16, p=0.007) and emotional eating (b=0.12, p=0.039). Depression showed a positive relationship with emotional eating (b=0.19, p=0.001), and mediated the relationship between gender and emotional eating (b=0.04, p=0.009), and BMI and emotional eating (b=0.03, p=0.015). Those whose weight loss was at least 5% showed a greater improvement in the eating behaviors than those whose weight loss was below 5% (cognitive restraint: t(168)=-4.765, p<0.001, uncontrolled eating: t(168)=-2.442, p=0.016, and emotional eating: Z=-2.011, p=0.044).

CONCLUSION

Results reveal certain determinants of eating behaviors that enhance or obstruct successful long term weight loss and highlight the role of eating behavior changes in weight loss. These mark intervention points for the optimization of results achievable by weight loss treatments.