Weight changes in a couples program: negative association of marital adjustment.

This study investigated the difference in weight changes of subjects who rated their marriages as more adjusted vs subjects who rated their marriages as less adjusted. Twenty-six moderately obese subjects were assigned to one of two groups based on their initial scores on the Locke-Wallace Marital Adjustment Scale (MAS). The 10 subjects in the "moderately unhappy" group (MAS less than or equal to 99) lost significantly more weight than the 16 subjects in the "relatively happy" group (MAS greater than or equal to 100) at the end of the one-year treatment program (29.9 lb vs 20.4 lb) and at 3-month follow-up (27.7 lb vs 17.8 lb). Significantly more subjects in the unhappy group also reached ideal weight than subjects in the happy group (50% vs 7.7%). Subjects' initial MAS scores were significantly and negatively correlated with weight changes at post-treatment and follow-up; partners' MAS scores at the end of treatment were also significantly and negatively correlated to subjects' weight losses at post-treatment. None of the couples was initially maritally distressed but one couple met this criterion (MAS less than or equal to 85) by the end of treatment and follow-up. It was concluded that marital counseling is not a prerequisite for weight counseling, couples' marital adjustment does not improve as the subject loses weight and a moderate level of marital dissatisfaction does not seem to be an insurmountable barrier to successful weight loss and may be an advantage for some individuals.