Locus of Control and Weight Reduction

By Monika Hawkins

Jordan McNeely

Article used

“Locus of control and weight reduction” Birgitta Adolfson et al. Patient Education and Counseling, 56 (2005), pp 55-61.

What is the big question?

How is the locus of control orientation associated with weight reduction due to a behavior modification program?

What is the hypothesis?

“An internally oriented locus of control has been identified as a predictor for success in obesity therapy in some but not all studies.” (56)

“…successful weight loss may be dependent on both internal and external locus of control orientation….the ideal for those attempting weight loss is to be sufficiently internal to believe that they are capable of bringing their weight under control, yet sufficiently external to be amendable to the advice of health professionals.” (56)

Video Example

Who was involved?

Participants of a 2 year group program for weight reduction at Huddinge University Hospital

41 participants divided into 4 groups with identical lifestyle intervention programs

24 women, 17 men with average age of 44.2 years

What happened?

8 full days over a 6 week period where:– Personal lists of recommended daily intake of energy given – Training by dietician on how to prepare a healthy breakfast– 1.5 hr session on behavior modification– Homework assignment given and shared the following

morning– 1 hr of discussing different aspects of quality of life– 2 hrs of physical activity

What happened?

Meet for 1.5hrs once a month for the first year– Behavior modification continued

2 full days with original schedule as a “booster occasion”

Data Taken

Participants were:– Weighed in indoor clothing with no shoes, on

calibrated scales, to the nearest 0.1 kg– Measured for systolic and diastolic blood pressure– Measured for waist and hip circumferences – BMI calculated– Modified Rotter’s I-E scale given with 40 items

Strongly disagree, disagree, agree, and strongly agree Higher score=external

Results

A number of participants dropped out, for various reasons, some of which have been replaced resulting in 28 participants including 16 women and 12 men (mean age=47.2)

“The more internal orientation of locus of control…the greater the weight reduction”(58)

Inference

“The obese study group scored significantly more externally than the healthy control group when the scale was constructed.”(59)

Limitations:– Participants dropping out of the study limited the

end results because fewer they can push the results to one side or the other.

Inference

Suggestions for further research:– To study how being external causes people to be

obese and hinder their weight loss.

Opinions?