The present thesis provides insight into health psychology aspects of overweight and obesity prevention and therapy. Participation behavior, psychosocial well-being and mental health have been examined closely. Continuous adherence to physical activity programs designed to avoid development or progression of juvenile overweight and obesity is difficult to maintain in everyday-life of participants. Motivation for participation and a personal schedule, that complements intervention time requirements, is essential for success and sustainability of physical activity interventions. Media support in promoting adherence is a topic of controversial discussion, but might help to promote motivation for health behavior change if used appropriately for the right target group. Therefore, means of communicating with young people need to be analyzed and integrated into health messages in order to make them convincing and interesting. Further media devices and channels need to be investigated to achieve an up-to-date understanding of health promotion technology.
Telephone counseling is as effective as face-to-face counseling regarding BMI reduction. However, its effect on psychosocial well-being and body image seems to be minor. The effect of parental delivery of health messages and information on psychosocial well-being and stress to their children regarding body image and related constructs needs to be further elucidated. Mediators and moderators should be investigated in order to be able to control health promotion content.
Mental health plays a crucial role in the development and progression of extreme obesity in adolescence. Early mental health impairments such as internalizing and externalizing behavior may lead to pathological eating and pathological health behavior habits and consequent weight gain. During the course of a treatment program it is of great importance to focus on psychiatric comorbidities in order to achieve stable and long-lasting effects on weight loss and lifestyle behavior. Adolescents undergoing bariatric surgery often suffer from moderate to severe depressive symptoms or clinically diagnosed depression. The interdependency between depression and obesity impedes predictability of bariatric surgery on weight loss outcomes and compliance with lifestyle requirements after surgery. In any case, mental health needs to be closely examined before a patient undergoes surgery. Monitoring and stabilization of psychological well-being after invasive treatment could lead to the practice of beneficial health behavior, enduring weight stabilization and improved quality of life.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:DRESDEN/oai:qucosa:de:qucosa:34388 |
| Date | 03 July 2019 |
| Creators | Herget, Sabine |
| Contributors | Universität Leipzig |
| Source Sets | Hochschulschriftenserver (HSSS) der SLUB Dresden |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion, doc-type:doctoralThesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis, doc-type:Text |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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