K Ball1, D Crawford. 1. Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia. kball@deakin.edu.au
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study explored the biological, psychological, social and environmental correlates of young women's current weight and retrospective 2-year weight change. METHODS: A total of 790 young women (mean age 26.8 years), sampled from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, provided self-reported data on their height and weight, sociodemographics and a range of biological, psychological, social and environmental variables. RESULTS: Several variables from all domains (biological, psychological, social support and environmental) were correlated with higher body mass index, and less strongly greater 2-year weight change. Key correlates included the tendency to never put on weight, no matter what; self-efficacy for avoiding weight gain, and for healthy eating; attention paid to weight; family support and friends' support/sabotage of physical activity/healthy eating; and perceived difficulty of taking the stairs rather than the elevator as part of the daily routine. CONCLUSIONS: Intervention strategies aimed at reducing weight gain and obesity may need to focus on social and environmental, as well as psychological factors; however, further research is necessary to confirm these findings given that a number of hypothesized associations were not observed.
OBJECTIVES: This study explored the biological, psychological, social and environmental correlates of young women's current weight and retrospective 2-year weight change. METHODS: A total of 790 young women (mean age 26.8 years), sampled from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, provided self-reported data on their height and weight, sociodemographics and a range of biological, psychological, social and environmental variables. RESULTS: Several variables from all domains (biological, psychological, social support and environmental) were correlated with higher body mass index, and less strongly greater 2-year weight change. Key correlates included the tendency to never put on weight, no matter what; self-efficacy for avoiding weight gain, and for healthy eating; attention paid to weight; family support and friends' support/sabotage of physical activity/healthy eating; and perceived difficulty of taking the stairs rather than the elevator as part of the daily routine. CONCLUSIONS: Intervention strategies aimed at reducing weight gain and obesity may need to focus on social and environmental, as well as psychological factors; however, further research is necessary to confirm these findings given that a number of hypothesized associations were not observed.
Authors: Corrine I Voils; Rachel Adler; Elizabeth Strawbridge; Janet Grubber; Kelli D Allen; Maren K Olsen; Megan A McVay; Sridharan Raghavan; Susan D Raffa; Luke M Funk Journal: Health Psychol Date: 2020-01-30 Impact factor: 4.267