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. 2022 Jan-Apr;22(1):100279.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2021.100279. Epub 2021 Nov 18.

The Role of Psychological Well-Being in Weight Loss: New Insights from a Comprehensive Lifestyle Intervention

Boheng Zhu  1   2 , Sara Gostoli  1 , Giada Benasi  1 , Chiara Patierno  1 , Maria Letizia Petroni  3 , Chiara Nuccitelli  4 , Giulio Marchesini  3 , Giovanni Andrea Fava  5 , Chiara Rafanelli  1
Affiliations

The Role of Psychological Well-Being in Weight Loss: New Insights from a Comprehensive Lifestyle Intervention

Boheng Zhu et al. Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2022 Jan-Apr.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Background/objective: Although the literature suggested that impaired psychological well-being (PWB) is associated with obesity, evidence on the role of PWB in weight outcomes is limited and inconclusive. This research aimed to investigate the joint role of PWB in achieving clinically significant weight loss (CWL; loss of 5% of the initial weight) through a comprehensive lifestyle intervention for obesity using a broad-based evaluation.

Method: This study is a prospective cohort of 96 patients with obesity attending a comprehensive lifestyle intervention for weight loss. Data on weight, lifestyle, PWB, and distress, were collected before and after the intervention.

Results: 30.5% of the participants achieved CWL at the end of treatment. A more pronounced increase in autonomy (odds ratio = 0.80 [95% CI: 0.68, 0.93], p ≤ .01) and somatization (odds ratio = 0.83 [95% CI: 0.70, 0.98], p ≤ .05) from pre- to post-treatment were independently associated with a lower probability of CWL.

Conclusions: Unbalanced dimensions of PWB, in particular exceedingly high autonomy, may contribute to a poor weight loss outcome. This study paves the way for the addition of psychotherapeutic strategies geared to euthymia in comprehensive lifestyle intervention.

Contexto/objetivo: Aunque la literatura sugiere que el deterioro del bienestar psicológico (BP) está asociado con obesidad, la evidencia sobre el papel del BP en el peso es limitada. Se investiga el papel del BP en el logro de pérdida de peso clínicamente significativa (PPCS; pérdida del 5% del peso inicial) a través de una intervención integral sobre el estilo de vida con respecto a la obesidad.

Método: Cohorte prospectiva de 96 pacientes con obesidad que asisten a una intervención integral sobre el estilo de vida para la pérdida de peso. Se recolectaron datos sobre peso, estilo de vida, BP y angustia, antes y después de la intervención.

Resultados: El 30,5% de los participantes lograron pérdida de peso al final del tratamiento. Mayor aumento de autonomía (razón de momios = 0,80 [IC del 95%: 0,68, 0,93], p ≤ 0,01) y somatización (razón de momios = 0,83 [IC del 95%: 0,70, 0,98], p ≤ 0,05) de antes a después del tratamiento se asociaron de forma independiente con menor probabilidad de PPCS.

Conclusiones: Las dimensiones desequilibradas del BP, en particular la autonomía excesivamente alta, pueden contribuir a una pérdida de peso insuficiente. Se allana el camino para añadir estrategias psicoterapéuticas orientadas a la eutimia en la intervención integral en el estilo de vida.

Keywords: Ex post facto study; Lifestyle intervention; Obesity; Psychological well-being; Weight loss.

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