Obesity-related knowledge and beliefs in obese adults attending a specialist weight-management service: implications for weight loss over 1 year.

OBJECTIVE: Cognitive approaches to obesity management assume that weight loss is more likely to occur if individuals perceive many benefits and few costs. Research to-date has been limited by the lack of prospective studies.
METHODS: A longitudinal study design. At baseline, obese patients attending weight-management clinics (n=104) completed a questionnaire that assessed knowledge and beliefs regarding obesity's health and social/aesthetic consequences (Obesity Risk Knowledge (ORK-10) scale and the Obesity Beliefs scale), self-reported weight/height, goal weight, health-related quality of life, and sociodemographic characteristics. Medical records were also reviewed. At the 12-month follow-up, a second questionnaire assessed self-reported weight/height.
RESULTS: At baseline, average ORK-10 scale scores were 4/10. At follow-up, 32 out of the 66 participants retained on the study did not gain weight (48.5%). For these participants, weight loss was associated with endorsement of the health (r(s)=0.40) and the social/aesthetic (r(s)=0.31) costs of obesity (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: Despite their high-risk status, participants demonstrated low levels of knowledge regarding obesity's health risks. Weight loss was associated with greater awareness of the health and social/aesthetic costs of obesity. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: This study suggests that health education is required to facilitate informed choices and supports the use of cognitive approaches which promote both the health and social/aesthetic consequences of obesity.