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This research study investigates the impact of being obese on all the facets of psychological well-being of the adolescent learner. Definitions for adolescence, obesity and psychological well-being are provided. For the purpose of this study an adolescent is considered to be a scholar between 12 and 18 years. The various methods of measuring obesity are presented and briefly discussed. Body Mass Index is internationally the most commonly used indicator of obesity and was therefore applied by the researcher. The possible causes of obesity are also discussed in this study. Presently there is no accepted standardised definition of psychological well-being, which it was found involves different aspects for different people. This phenomenon varies within various circumstances, is multifaceted in character and is not static. The researcher made use of projection media, expression media, interviews and standardised media to obtain relevant information. The main conclusion is that body image and physical appearance as experienced by an obese adolescent do have a negative impact on the individual's psychological well-being. / Educational Studies / M.Ed.(Specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

This study explores the relationship between internal-external locus of control and some characteristics of overweight subjects in a weight-control program in the summer and fall of 1973. Only white, female, over-weight, and obese subjects were used. From this study, it appears that Rotter's I-E concept applies to weight loss. This one significant finding lends support to research that internals control their impulses better than externals and that internals seem to learn and retain relevant information better than externals.

This research study investigates the impact of being obese on all the facets of psychological well-being of the adolescent learner. Definitions for adolescence, obesity and psychological well-being are provided. For the purpose of this study an adolescent is considered to be a scholar between 12 and 18 years. The various methods of measuring obesity are presented and briefly discussed. Body Mass Index is internationally the most commonly used indicator of obesity and was therefore applied by the researcher. The possible causes of obesity are also discussed in this study. Presently there is no accepted standardised definition of psychological well-being, which it was found involves different aspects for different people. This phenomenon varies within various circumstances, is multifaceted in character and is not static. The researcher made use of projection media, expression media, interviews and standardised media to obtain relevant information. The main conclusion is that body image and physical appearance as experienced by an obese adolescent do have a negative impact on the individual's psychological well-being. / Educational Studies / M.Ed.(Specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

M.Cur. / Community nurses have a very important role to play in the planning of health promotion programmes and implementation of the necessary interventions for patients and groups with obesity problems. Obesity is one of the health problems that requires signficant behavioural changes in one's lifestyle as part of such interventions. The research study sought to explore the perceptions of both the patients and the community nurses of the phenomenon of obesity as a health risk, and to identify any areas that could give rise to problems when health promotion actions were planned for obese people. It was specifically important to obtain the perceptions of the community nurse of obesity, since the level of knowledge of the health problem as well as her personal attitude towards this problem, will be crucial in the manner and quality of her interventions. The study explored patients' and nurses' perceptions about obesity as a health risk (Phase I and 2). Factors in the internal and external environments of the obese individual were identified and analysed into categories and subcategories. The study is qualitative and explorative in nature, data was collected through the use of semistructured interviews, and Giorgi's method of data analysis was used. Literature control was done to examine how existing literature compared with data obtained from semistructured interviews on the nature of obesity as a health problem. Obesity is clearly a health risk and affects the person's totality of life experiences as demonstrated by the resultant patterns of interactions between the internal and external environments of an obese person. Results of the data analysis and literature control gave rise to the need to structure recommendations to give the community nurse the capacity and support that was identified as necessary for her to be able to carry out her nursing intervention.

Thesis (MPath)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a severe debilitating medical condition that may lead to suicide. Due to a poor understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying the disease process therapeutic decisions are usually taken using a ‘trial and error’ approach. This is not ideal since many treatments do not work as expected for all individuals. Studies have shown that only half of MDD patients receive the appropriate treatment, whereas many patients have adverse response to anti-depressants. These may include weight gain and raised homocysteine levels that may further compromise the health status of MDD patients and may partly explain the link with cardiovascular disease. The objective of the study was to identify genetic risk factors interacting with environmental factors implicated in MDD that may be of relevance to the South African population. Polymorphisms in the MTHFR (677 C>T, rs1801133 and 1298 A>C, rs1801131), COMT (472G>A, rs4680), CYP2D6 (6937G>A, rs3892097), ASMT (24436 G>A, rs4446909) and SLC6A4 (43 bp ins/del, rs4795541) genes were genotyped in 86 MDD patients and 97 population-matched controls. The specific aims were 1) to analytically validate high throughput real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) genotyping assays for the selected SNPs against direct sequencing as the gold standard for 2) possible integration into a pathology-supported genetic testing strategy aimed at improved clinical management of MDD. A total of 183 unrelated Caucasians participated in the study, including 69 females and 17 males with MDD and 57 female and 40 male controls without a personal and family medical history of overlapping stress/anxiety and depressive disorders. All study participants were genotyped for the six selected SNPs considered clinically useful based on international data. The allelic distribution of the SNPs, single or combined into a genotype risk score after counting their minor alleles, did not differ between MDD patients and controls. Homocysteine levels were determined and correlated with body mass index (BMI) and other variables known to influence these phenotypes. The folate score assessed with use of the study questionnaire was significantly lower in the patient group compared with controls (p=0.003) and correlated significantly with BMI, particularly in females (p=0.009). BMI was on average 8% higher in the MDD patients compared with controls (p=0.015) after adjustment for age and sex. The MTHFR rs1801133 677 T-allele was associated with a 14% increase in BMI in MDD patients but not controls (p=0.032), which in turn was associated with significantly increased homocysteine levels (p<0.05). The aims of the study were successfully achieved. Identification of the MTHFR rs1801133 677 T-allele reinforces the importance of adequate folate intake in the diet due to increased risk of obesity and depression found to be associated with low dietary intake. Evidence of shared genetic vulnerability for many chronic diseases and drug response mediated by the MTHFR 677 T-allele support the clinical relevance of this low-penetrance mutation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Major depressie (MD) is ‘n aftakelende siektetoestand wat tot selfdood kan lei. Onkunde oor die siekte se onderliggende biologiese meganismes lei dikwels tot ‘n lukrake terapeutiese benadering. Dit is ‘n onbevredigende situasie aangesien indiwidue verskillend reageer op die middels wat voorgeskryf word. Navorsing toon dat slegs ongeveer die helfte van MD pasiënte toepaslike behandeling kry, terwyl anti-depressante ‘n nadelige uitwerking het op baie pasiënte. Dit sluit massatoename en verhoogde homosisteïenvlakke in wat MD pasiënte se gesondheid bykomend nadelig kan beïnvloed en die verband met kardiovaskulêre siekte gedeeltelik kan verklaar. Hierdie studie poog om MD verwante genetiese risikofaktore en omgewingsfaktore wat mekaar beïnvloed en moontlik op die Suid Afrikaanse bevolking betrekking het, te identifiseer. Polimorfismes in die MTHFR (677 C>T, rs1801133 en 1298 A>C, rs1801131), COMT (472G>A, rs4680), CYP2D6 (6937G>A, rs3892097), ASMT (24436 G>A, rs4446909) en SLC6A4 (43 bp ins/del, rs4795541) gene is geanaliseer in 86 MD pasiënte en 97 kontroles geselekteer van dieselfde populasie. Die spesifieke doelwitte was om 1) hoë deurset direkte polimerase kettingreaksie (RT-PCR) genotiperingstoetse vir die 6 gekose polimorfismes met direkte volgordebepaling as maatstaf analities te valideer vir 2) moontlike insluiting in ‘n patologie-ondersteunde genetiese toetsstrategie met die oog op beter kliniese hantering van MD. Altesaam 183 Kaukasiërs het aan die studie deelgeneem. Die MD pasiënte het uit 69 vroue en 17 mans bestaan. Die kontroles (57 vroue en 40 mans) het geen mediese geskiedenis (persoonlik of familie) van oorvleuelende stress/angstigheid of depressie gehad nie. Gebaseer op internasionale data, is al die deelnemers vir die 6 gekose, potensieel klinies-bruikbare polimorfismes getoets. Die alleliese verspreiding van die polimorfismes enkel of gekombineer (uitgedruk as ‘n genotipe-risiko-syfer nadat minor allele getel is), was dieselfde in MD-pasiënte en kontroles. Homosisteïenvlakke is bepaal en gekorreleer met die liggaamsmassa-indeks (BMI) en ander veranderlikes wat bekend is vir hulle invloed op hierdie fenotipes. In teenstelling met die kontroles, was die folaat telling, soos bepaal met die studievraelys, betekenisvol laer in die pasiënte (p=0.003). Die korrelasie met die liggaamsmassa-indeks, spesifiek by vroue, was ook betekenisvol (p=0.009). Na aanpassings vir ouderdom en geslag, is gevind dat die liggaamsmassa-indeks gemiddeld 8% hoër was in die die MD pasiënte teenoor die kontroles. By MD-pasiënte, maar nie by die kontroles nie, is die MTHFR rs1801133 677 T-alleel geassosieer met ‘n 14% toename in liggaamsmassa-indeks (p=0.032), wat ook geassosieer was met betekenisvolle verhoogde homosisteïenvlakke (p<0.05). Die doelwitte van die studie is bereik. Identifisering van die MTHFR rs1801133 677 T-alleel beklemtoon hoe belangrik dit is om voldoende folaat in te neem, veral omdat ‘n verhoogde risiko vir vetsug en depressie met ‘n lae folaatinname in die diet geassosieer word. Die kliniese belang van die MTHFR 677 T-alleel word beklemtoon deur toenemende bewyse wat daarop dui dat gedeelde genetiese vatbaarheid vir ‘n verskeidenheid van kroniese siektes asook middelrespons aan bemiddeling deur hierdie lae penetrasie mutasie toegeskryf kan word. / Winetech / Technology for Human Resources and Industry Program (THRIP).

The first chapter of this dissertation tests for addiction to food. This is the first empirical study using nationally representative data to do so. Data show that many common foods are addictive, suggesting that prices play a larger role in food consumption than previously thought. The finding of significant addiction also suggests that targeted food taxes may provide effective instruments for reducing the prevalence of overweight and obesity. The second chapter of this dissertation investigates the determinants of childhood obesity. This research improves upon previous economic research on the topic by incorporating controls for biological relationships of mothers and fathers and examining the entire child weight distribution using quantile regression. I find evidence of genetic weight transmission though the behavioral influence of mothers appears to be dominant. Furthermore, I find that the commonly cited influences on childhood weight do little to explain the most extreme weights. The third chapter of this dissertation studies the contract choice effect. Though frequently discussed, the impact of changes in insurance contract on utilization in response to a change in the expected cost of care has not been explicitly studied in an empirical setting. The analysis identifies a significantly negative contract choice effect, implying that individuals choose better insurance plans in response to increases in the expected cost of care. / text

Esta dissertação objetivou, de forma geral, analisar a ação do psicólogo clínico no processo de preparação e acompanhamento psicológico das pessoas que se submetem à cirurgia bariátrica. De forma específica pretendeu-se identificar os elementos que podem interferir positivamente e/ou negativamente, na relação terapeuta - paciente; analisar as ressonâncias que o acompanhamento terapêutico exerce sobre os pacientes que se submetem à cirurgia bariátrica. Para tanto buscou as contribuições teóricas a respeito do corpo na filosofia de Merleau Ponty e na psicanálise de Winnicott. Sobretudo, abordou o relacionamento terapeuta paciente pela abordagem winnicottiana e dentro do contexto dos psicólogos que trabalham com o tema da obesidade. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, que tem como participantes sete psicólogas clínicas que desenvolvem atividades na área de cirurgia bariátrica, tanto no setor privado como público e duas pacientes compreendidas na faixa etária de 33 e 56 anos, que se submeteram à cirurgia e continuam em acompanhamento psicológico. Utilizamos a entrevista semidirigida tanto para as psicólogas como para as pacientes, através de uma questão disparadora diferenciada. A análise das narrativas foi feita a partir da análise temática, que permitiu identificar eixos temáticos ligados à questão da prática profissional e às concepções teóricas utilizadas pelas psicólogas, destacando-se eixos como a natureza do vinculo estabelecido na relação terapeuta e paciente, a importância da família na participação do processo e, sobretudo, a imagem corporal vivida pelo paciente antes, durante e depois do procedimento cirúrgico. O cuidado que o psicólogo deve ter para levar em consideração no seu relacionamento terapêutico, a promoção do autoconhecimento e a compreensão a respeito de um corpo vivido pelo paciente e, portanto, um corpo sujeito, não coisificado; constituíram-se como elementos de fundamental importância, lembrando-nos que, atitudes explicativas diretivas são necessárias, mas não suficientes para o sucesso do tratamento. Por essas razões, apontamos que questões intrapsíquicas e os recursos internos do paciente sejam suficientemente trabalhados, evitando, assim, que o mesmo substitua o sintoma da obesidade por outro sintoma de compulsão.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Obesity is a substantial threat to the health of over a third of adults in the United States. Some evidence suggests that food attentional bias, or the tendency to automatically direct attention toward food-related stimuli in the environment, may contribute to the development of obesity in susceptible individuals. This study hypothesized that (1) food attentional bias would be positively associated with adiposity, (2) food attentional bias would be positively associated with energy intake and external eating, and (3) energy intake and external eating would partially mediate the association between food attentional bias and adiposity. Data were collected from a sample of 120 undergraduate students. Three measures of food attentional bias were obtained: reaction time bias obtained from a visual dot-probe task and direction bias and duration bias obtained from eye tracking. Adiposity indices of body mass index (kg/m2) and body fat percent were measured using standard medical devices. Data were obtained for two mediators: 1) energy intake was assessed by web-based automated 24-hour dietary recall and 2) external eating was assessed using the External Eating Subscale of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Separate linear regression models examining the association between each measure of food attentional bias with each measure of adiposity (adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and subjective hunger) indicated no associations. Similarly, linear regression analyses revealed no associations between measures of food attentional bias and energy intake or external eating. Models testing for statistical mediation demonstrated that energy intake and external eating were not significant mediators. However, mediation analyses demonstrated a significant overall effect and direct effect between direction bias and BMI in a reduced sample used to test for energy intake as a mediator, suggesting the presence of an association which may not have been detected in the larger sample due to methodological issues, measurement error, or type I error. Despite the overall null results, these findings, in conjunction with previous studies on food attentional biases and adiposity, highlight the need for future investigations examining prospective associations between food attentional bias and adiposity.

This study aimed at exploring the impact of early traumatic experiences on bariatric patients with the intent to give "voice" to their experiences. The impact of morbid obesity and the lack of quality of life among those suffering from this form of chronic illness can be devastating. Meaningful support systems and bariatric surgery are therefore considered as forced behavioural interventions to remediate the impact of childhood trauma and subsequent development of morbid obesity among this group of bariatric patients. Through a process of social constructivism and dialogue between the researcher and the five participants, the co-construction according to themes was supported by a qualitative research approach and the case study method. For the analysis of the themes according to the participants' "voices", the thematic content analysis method was used to analyse the data and was finally linked to supportive literature. It is hoped that the results from this study will contribute to the development of a unique assessment and support programme to those who have to endure the burden of morbid obesity associated with early childhood trauma; and that the process prior to and post bariatric surgery will be an important contribution to finding quality of life and giving new meaning to patients after suffering through their bodies and traumatised minds. / Psychology / D.Litt. et. Phil (Psychology)