July 25

Personality And Obesity Across The Adult Life Span

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Sutin, A. R., Ferrucci, L., Zonderman, A. B., & Terracciano, A. (2011, July 11). Personality and Obesity Across the Adult Life Span. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/a0024286

Abstract:

Personality traits contribute to health outcomes, in part through their association with major controllable risk factors, such as obesity. Body weight, in turn, reflects our behaviors and lifestyle and contributes to the way we perceive ourselves and others. In this study, the authors use data from a large (N  1,988) longitudinal study that spanned more than 50 years to examine how personality traits are associated with multiple measures of adiposity and with fluctuations in body mass index (BMI). Using 14,531 anthropometric assessments, the authors modeled the trajectory of BMI across adulthood and tested whether personality predicted its rate of change. Measured concurrently, participants higher on Neuroticism or Extraversion or lower on Conscientiousness had higher BMI; these associations replicated across body fat, waist, and hip circumference. The strongest association was found for the impulsivity facet: Participants who scored in the top 10% of impulsivity weighed, on average, 11Kg more than those in the bottom 10%. Longitudinally, high Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness, and the facets of these traits related to difficulty with impulse control, were associated with weight fluctuations, measured as the variability in weight over time. Finally, low Agreeableness and impulsivity-related traits predicted a greater increase in BMI across the adult life span. BMI was mostly unrelated to change in personality traits. Personality traits are defined by cognitive, emotional, and behavioral patterns that likely contribute to unhealthy weight and difficulties with weight management. Such associations may elucidate the role of personality traits in disease progression and may help to design more effective interventions.

Keywords: obesity, body mass index, five-factor model, personality, weight gain
April 15

Short Sleep Duration In Infancy And Risk Of Childhood Overweight

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Short Sleep Duration in Infancy and Risk of Childhood Overweight
Source: Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine

Daily sleep duration of less than 12 hours during infancy appears to be a risk factor for overweight and adiposity in preschool-aged children.

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January 17

Gendered Dimensions Of Obesity In Children And Teens

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Gendered dimensions of obesity in childhood and adolescence
Source: Nutrition Journal

This review suggests differences between males and females in exposure and vulnerability to obesogenic environments, the consequences of child and adolescent obesity, and responses to interventions for the condition. A clearer focus on gender differences is required among both researchers and policy makers within this field.

+ Full Paper (PDF; 213 KB)

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