Cognitive influences on Weight Status in Obesity and Overweight

Background: According to the theories underlying Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, thoughts about their bodies by overweight and obese people affect their ability to lose weight. Many overweight and obese people complain about their weight; however, for different reasons they either do not follow a diet program or follow one for some time but then quit. Objectives: a. To understand the reasons behind obesity and overweight b. To discover the thoughts and behaviors that lead overweight and obese people to not follow a diet program. c. To examine the thoughts and behaviors that make overweight and obese people quit a diet program. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to a sample of 728 adults (220 male and 508 female) all of whom were overweight or obese. A structured questionnaire collected the reasons for their overweight or obesity and factors behind their failure to follow or adhere to a diet program. Results: Of 728 participants, 71.9% believed that lack of time to exercise was the main reason for their overweight or obesity, more than 73% indicated weakness of will underlying their failure to follow a diet program, and more than 75% believed that following a diet program required patience over a long time, which was hard for them to accomplish. Moreover, results showed that many participants have negative feelings when following a diet program, such as boredom with the program (76.9%), blaming themselves (30.4%), sadness (37.8%), fatigue (56.9%), and nervousness (52.3%). Conclusion: The results of this study emphasize that cognitive factors play an important role in overweight and obesity.