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January 2015 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
Psychological “Risk Factors”
of Weight Gain
By Dr. Tom Miller
Staff Writer
What are risk
factors? A risk factor is any attribute,
behavior, value,
symptom or set of symptoms that
increases the likelihood of developing a disease or injury. So it is within
us because it is an attitude, behavior,
value and symptom that increases the
potential likelihood of developing a
disease or illness. Most of us think
of risk factors as something outside
or eternal to us, but that is often just
the symptom. Some examples of the
more important risk factors are excess
weight, unsafe sex, high blood pressure, tobacco and alcohol use, unsafe
water or obesity.
In our society, weight gain is
viewed very negatively and tends to
believe that people who are obese
are “weak-willed” and “unmotivated”. Weight gain occurs when we
consume more calories than we burn
through exercise and normal daily
activities. Our body stores these extra
calories as fat, and obesity results
from a combination of contributing
factors that include genetic and lifestyle behaviors. Overweight individuals are often aware of these negative
societal views, and internalize them,
putting themselves at risk for disorders of mood, anxiety, and substance
abuse. They perceive interpersonal
and work-related discrimination,
often suffer from low self-esteem as
a result, and feel uncomfortable with
their bodies and body image dissatisfaction. These feelings may lead to
stress on their intimate and romantic
relationships.
Overweight individuals have typically made multiple attempts to lose
weight, with little or no success. Their
failed attempts result in discouragement, frustration, hopelessness, and
learned helplessness. Not surprisingly,
significant weight loss confers psychological as well as medical benefits,
with improved mood, self-esteem,
motivation, and relationships. In a
review of some forty research studies
on this topic, the results noted that
recognizing risk factors was critical in
weight management.
From a psychological perspective,
the basis or etiology of eating disorders and obesity usually lies in some
combination of psychosocial, environmental, and genetic or biological
attributes. Individuals who suffer
from psychological disorders such
as anxiety, depression, and eating
disorders may have more difficulty
In our society, weight gain is viewed
very negatively and tends to believe
that people who are obese are
“weak-willed” and “unmotivated”.
controlling their consumption of
food, exercising an adequate amount,
and maintaining a healthy weight.
Obesity is as much a psychological
as a physical problem. Psychological
issues can not only foreshadow the
development of obesity, but they can
also follow ongoing struggles to control weight. Because the psychological
aspects of obesity are so important,
psychological assessments and interventions have become an integral part
of any multidisciplinary approach to
treating obesity.
Many health organizations identify
ten risk factors for obesity:
1. Genetics affect the amount of
body fat you store and where
that fat is distributed.
2. Family lifestyle tends to shape
eating habits
3. Inactivity and a sedentary
lifestyle means burning fewer
calories
4. Unhealthy eating habits lack
fruits and vegetables and portion
management
5. Pregnancy results in a woman’s
weight gain.
6. Lack of sleep causes changes in
hormones resulting in increased
appetite.
7. Certain medications can lead to
weight gain
8. Age results in a decrease in
the amount of muscle tissue in
aging.
9. Social and economic conditions
influence what foods we buy and
consume
10. Medical conditions such as
arthritis, can lead to decreased
activity
As we examine coping strategies
for dealing with life stress or just
comforting ourselves, food is often
used as a coping mechanism by
those with weight related challenges,
particularly when they are sad, anxious, stressed, lonely, and frustrated.
Overweight persons tend to experi-
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ence what might be referred to as a
perpetual cycle of mood disturbance,
overeating, and weight gain. When
they feel distressed, they turn to
food to help cope, and though such
comfort eating may result in temporary attenuation of their distressed
mood, the weight gain that results
may cause a dysphoric mood due to
their inability to control their stress.
The resulting guilt may reactivate the
cycle, leading to a continuous pattern
of using food to cope with emotions.
This pattern is particularly applicable
if there is a genetic predisposition
for obesity or a “toxic” environment
in which calorically dense foods are
readily available and physical activity
is limited.
Clinical consideration of eating
patterns has been the focus of the
psychiatric community for decades.
In addition to depression and anxiety,
other risk factors include problematic
eating behaviors