Fetma och övervikt är ett hot mot folkhälsan. Många med övervikt och fetma försöker gå ner i vikt, men få lyckas bibehålla viktminskningen. Studiens syfte var att ta reda på erfarenheter av betydelsefulla faktorer och strategier för en bestående viktminskning, samt motivation för bibehållandet av vikten. Enligt Self-determination theory (SDT) blir beteendeförändringar bestående om de är autonoma och om motivationen är intern. Åtta kvinnor som deltagit i Itrims viktminskningsprogram intervjuades. Resultatet visade att förändringar i kost, motion och förhållningssätt var för egen vinning och viktiga för en bibehållen vikt. Andra faktorer var kunskap, psykiskt och fysiskt välmående samt vilja. Bibehållandet av viktminskningen var ett självständigt arbete där kunskaper från programmet och från inre reflektion införlivades i livsstilen, vilket överrensstämmer med SDT.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of following either the Curves® Fitness and Weight Management Plan or the Weight Watchers® Momentum™ Plan on body composition and markers of health and fitness in previously sedentary obese women. Fifty-one women (age 35±8 yrs; height 163±7 cm; weight 90±1 kg; BMI 34±5 kg/m2; 47±7% body fat) were randomized to participate in the Curves® (C) or Weight Watchers® (W) weight loss programs for 16-wks. Participants in the C group (n=24) followed a 1,200 kcal/d diet for 1-wk; 1,500 kcal/d diet for 3 wks (~30%:45% CHO:PRO); and 2,000 kcals/d for 2-wks (45:30) and repeated this diet while participating in a supervised Curves® with Zumba program 3-d-wk. Remaining subjects (n=27) followed the W point-based diet program, received weekly group counseling, and were encouraged to exercise. Body composition, anthropometrics, resting energy expenditure (REE), lipid biomarkers, and hormone concentrations were assessed at 0, 4, 10, and 16 weeks. Maximal cardiopulmonary exercise capacity and upper and lower body isotonic strength and endurance were assessed at 0 and 16 weeks. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance for repeated measures. MANOVA analysis of body composition data revealed overall time (Wilks’ Lamda p=0.001) and time by diet effects (Wilks’ Lamda p=0.003). Subjects in both groups lost a similar amount of total mass (C -2.4±2.0, -4.1±3.4, -5.1±3.9; W -2.3±2.3, -4.5±3.0, -5.5±4.6 kg, p=0.78). However, subjects in the C group tended to have a greater reduction in percent body fat (C -3.3±5.2, -3.2±4.6, -4.7±5.4; W 0.6±6.7, -0.6±8.3, -1.4±8.1%, p=0.10) and body fat mass (C -3.9±5.5, -4.6±5.3, -6.4±5.9; W -0.4±5.7, -2.1±6.7, -2.9±7.8 kg, p=0.09), while maintaining FFM (C 1.5±4.3, 0.52±3.7, 1.3±4.0; W -1.8±5.4, -2.4±5.8, -2.5±5.1, p=0.01). While both groups had increases cardiovascular fitness, the C group experienced improvements in upper body muscular endurance (C 1.4±3.9; W -1.2±2.4 repetitions, p=0.006). Both groups experienced improvements in lipid biomarkers; however, only the C group experienced a moderate increase in HDL-c. Results indicate that participants following the C program experienced more favorable changes in body composition and markers of fitness and health than participants in the W program.

The thesis studies determinants and adjustment paths of the people's weight from the view point of rational behavior.It followes the research approach of Becker and Murphy (1988), makes use of the utility function from Levy (2002), and corporates a budget constraint so as to establish an optimal control model for food consumption and weight, and to find out the relationship between them. Negative correlations are found between the steady-state weight and food prices, basal metabolic rate, and time discount rate.Positive correlations are found between the steady-state weight and income, marginal utility of food, and desirable weight. There is a tendancy to guide the actual steady-state weight to a much higher fluctuation margin than that of the desirable weight.In the dynamic analysis, it is also found that, regardless of an increase or decrease of the steady-state weight, both directions of adjustment show that the process of food consumption is always ``overshooting."In other words, when the steady-state weight becomes heavier (lighter), consumers first increase (decrease) their food consumption substantially. And, as the time goes by, there is a gradual decrease (increase) in food consumption owing to the fact that the food consumption is still higher (lower) than what is required for metabolism of the body that makes the weight getting to increase (decrease) till the new equilibrium is arrived.

The main goal of this study is to examine the relationship between weight control expectancies, weight concerns, smoking rate and perceived likelihood of smoking in the future among Spanish adolescents. Specifically, I intend to explore the potential moderator role of weight concerns on the relationship between weight control expectancies and smoking rate, as well as between weight concern and perceived likelihood of smoking in the future. Additionally, I want to investigate the possible meditational role of weight control expectancies on the relationship between weight concerns and smoking rate and likelihood of smoking in the future, respectively. The participants were 311 Spanish adolescents (M = 15.20; SD = 1.63; 174 female and 137 male) from schools in Alicante, Spain. The students completed questionnaires regarding smoking history and status. They also responded to questions regarding smoking expectancies and weigh concerns. Results suggested differences between smokers and nonsmokers in weight control expectancies and fear of fatness regardless of gender. The moderator model of weight concerns was not supported by findings. The results prove the meditational role of weight control expectancies on the relationship between fear of fatness and smoking rate, as well as between fear of fatness and perceived likelihood of smoking in the future. Implications, directions for future research and limitations of the study are discussed.

In June 2013, the American Medical Association (AMA) made the highly controversial decision to designate obesity a disease. Proponents predicted the decision would lead to reduced weight-related stigma, whereas opponents predicted designating a third of the population as “diseased” would exacerbate stigma. To determine the effects of defining obesity as a disease on explicit and implicit weight-biased attitudes and explicit weight-biased beliefs, female undergraduate students (N = 146) were randomly assigned to one of two groups: disease or lifestyle. Participants in the disease group (n = 71) were asked to read an article describing obesity as a disease caused by biology and genes; participants in the lifestyle group (n = 75) read an article describing obesity as the result of personal choices, including over-consumption of food and inactivity. Explicit weight-biased attitudes and beliefs were measured pre- and post-exposure to the article. Change in beliefs about the controllability of weight was examined as a potential meditator of the relationship between group and explicit weight-biased attitudes; and body mass index (BMI), health orientation, and fitness orientation were examined as potential moderators. Results revealed a significant interaction between group and time on weight-biased beliefs. Participants in the disease group exhibited stronger beliefs that obesity is outside a person’s control from pre- to post-exposure, whereas participants in the lifestyle group exhibited a weakening in these beliefs over the same time period. Contrary to hypotheses, this change in beliefs about the controllability of weight did not extend to weight-biased attitudes.

Few studies have measured the changes of postpartum weight retention (PWR), and none of them have assessed the effect of pregnancy on waist circumference (WC) in Taiwanese women. The primary aims of this longitudinal study were to explore the changes in body weight and WC during the first six months postpartum and to identify the explanatory factors of PWR and of WC. A theoretical framework that incorporated Bandura's social learning theory and the results of a literature review was used to guide this study. Structured questionnaires were used for data collection. Postpartum body weight and WC were measured. Data were collected from May 2011 to January 2013 and analyzed using the SPSS 19.0 and Mplus 6.12. A sample of 200 healthy postpartum women was recruited from three clinics in Tainan City, Taiwan. The mean age of the women was 31.19 years, and the majority of them were married (98.0%), primiparas (56%), had a bachelor's degree (52.5%), and planned to have this pregnancy (62.5%). The mean prepregnancy body weight was 55.84 kg, and the mean GWG was 13.76 kg. About one third of the sample gained weight exceeding the GWG recommendations of the IOM. The mean PWR decreased over time from 9.13 kg at hospitalization to 2.73 kg at 6 months postpartum. Approximately 24% of the participants still retained 5 kg or more at 6 months postpartum, and about 44% of the women had at least one kind of weight-related risk--substantial PWR, overweight, or central obesity. Age, prepregnancy BMI, parity, GWG, and place for doing the month significantly affected PWR. The final latent growth curve (LGC) model of PWR explained 91.5% and 33.9% of the variance in initial status and overall change rate in PWR. Age, prepregnancy BMI, parity, GWG, and cesarean delivery significantly affected WC, which explained 84.1% and 38.1% of the variance in initial status and change rate in WC. GWG was the most influential factor in the change rate of PWR and WC. Establishing tailored recommendations for GWG for Taiwanese women is warranted. / text

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Elastic bands are becoming more popular in strength and power training. Although increases in strength and power have been anecdotally reported with high loads of elastic resistance, there is no research on large band tensions and their effects on force and power variables. The purpose of this study was to quantify peak concentric force, peak concentric power and peak eccentric velocity produced by the subject when using differing levels of elastic resistance (0%, 20%, 50% and 75% of the total load being elastic resistance) in the bench press. Seven experienced male powerlifters and body builders participated in this study. Prior to subject testing all elastic bands were calibrated for force output throughout the bench press range of motion. Each subject performed a single repetition maximum press to determine the total correct testing load (85% of maximum press). The subjects then performed four presses with various elastic band resistances, each having the total equivalent weight of 85% of the subject’s maximal press weight at lockout. Dependent variables were peak concentric force, peak concentric power, and peak eccentric velocity as produced by the subject. A one-way ANOVA was used to determine the differences among the four levels of elastic resistance (ER) used in the study (α = 0.05). Compared to the baseline condition (2123.6 ± 499.9N), significantly lower average peak concentric force was observed with ER of 75% (1451.2 ± 151.0N, 31.9% decrease) (p = .010) and with an ER of 50% (1781.1 ± 174.3N, 16.4% decrease) (p = .052). When compared with baseline peak concentric power (702.6 ± 274.6W), higher peak power was observed in all band trials: 20% (895.2 ± 187.7W, 27.4% increase), 50% (972.5 ± 189.8W, 38.4% increase) and 75% (979.6 ± 171.0W, 39.4% increase) (p = .009; p = .007; p = .033, respectively). There was no significant difference in peak concentric power in any ER trials. No significant differences (p = .080) were seen in peak eccentric velocity. Therefore ER loads of 20, 50 and 75% provide greater stimuli for producing peak concentric power than no ER, with only a 20% load of ER maintaining the same peak concentric force production as baseline. ER loads of 50 and 75% may not be as effective a stimuli as free weights when the training objective is to increase force production. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

Multivariable modeling was performed using data from the Nutrition Care in Canadian Hospitals Study, identifying factors independently associated with weight change, and specifically weight loss, prior to, during, and following acute hospitalization in older patients (≥65y, n=503). Male gender (OR=1.83, 95% CI 1.23-2.73) and oral nutrition supplement use (OR=2.1, 95% CI 1.31-3.36) were associated with self-reported weight loss (n=445, R2=0.06). Higher BMI (β=-0.2, p=0.001), occurrence of adverse events (β=-0.15, p=0.008), mean intake <75% of meals during admission (β=-0.19, p=0.001), and antibiotic use during admission (β=-0.11, p=0.049) were significantly associated with weight loss during admission (n=290, R2=0.14). Post hospital weight loss was associated with a poor self-reported appetite at follow-up (OR=3.82, 95% CI 2.1-6.97), eating with others never or rarely (OR=2.48, 95% CI 1.31-4.69), and having been admitted to a surgical ward (OR=1.86, 95% CI 1.03-3.35) (n=279, R2=0.16).

Thesis (M.S.)--Indiana University, School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, 2005.