Abstract
To examine associations between defined weight expectations and anthropometric profile and to identify psychological and eating behavioral factors that characterize women having more realistic weight expectations. A nonrandom sample of 154 overweight/obese women completed the 'Goals and Relative Weight Questionnaire', which assessed four weight expectations: (1) dream weight (whatever wanted to weight); (2) happy weight (would be happy to achieve); (3) acceptable weight (could accept even if not happy with it); and (4) disappointed weight (would not view as a successful achievement). Psychological assessments evaluated dysphoria, self-esteem, satisfaction with one's body (i.e., body esteem) and weight-related quality of life. The 'Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire' assessed eating behaviors: (1) cognitive dietary restraint (control of food intake), (2) disinhibition (overconsumption of food with a loss of control), and (3) susceptibility to hunger (food intake in response to feelings and perceptions of hunger). Women's expectations for their dream (60.6+/-6.0 kg), happy (65.2+/-6.4 kg) and acceptable (67.9+/-6.8 kg) weights corresponded to higher percentages of weight loss (24.2+/-6.6% or 19.8+/-7.1 kg, 18.6+/-5.8% or 15.2+/-6.0 kg and 15.2+/-5.7% or 12.6+/-5.8 kg, respectively) than goals recommended for overweight individuals. Defined weight expectations were positively associated with current weight and body mass index (BMI; 0.37 < or = r < or = 0.85; P<0.0001). When women were matched one by one for their current BMI, but showing different happy BMI, women with a more realistic happy BMI were older (P=0.03) and were characterized by a greater satisfaction towards body weight (P=0.04), a higher score for flexible restraint (P=0.003) and a lower score for susceptibility to hunger (P=0.02) than women with a less realistic happy BMI. These findings suggest that having more realistic weight expectations is related to healthier psychological and eating behavioral characteristics.
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