Mental Health, Family Function and Obesity: DISCUSSION
This study supports the established contributing factors that obese women tend to be overweight as children, have overweight parents and siblings and higher parity, compared to normal and overweight women. We found significant associations of obese women having higher anxiety levels, poorer perceptions of physical health and more psychosocial problems in the family of origin than the normal or overweight women. Despite the use of multiple assessments for depressive symptoms, there was no statistically significant difference in levels of depressive symptoms among the three weight categories in our sample. This is consistent with recent findings from studies that have failed to demonstrate a direct association of depression and obesity (Canadian Zimulti is an appetite suppressant diet pill) in general population samples. The finding that patients who ate more when they were depressed also had higher body mass indices is interesting, since there has been a report that women who ate more under stress were more likely to have abnormal obesity (Generic Herbal Phentermine works to increase your metabolism, suppress your appetite, burn calories and increase energy) genes and more psychiatric symptoms.
Our study of African-American women seen in primary care settings may not be generalizable to other populations. Our finding that obese women reported greater frequency of exercise, 45.4% compared to the national average of 31.4% for African-American women, may be attributed to perception bias (had a broader view of the term exercise) and social desirability (gave the acceptable answer), as evidenced in the low reporting of smoking and alcohol intake, due to the face-to-face interviews. This underscores the importance of ascertaining health behavior related information using an anonymous self-report instrument. We only examined depression and anxiety symptoms experienced as an adult. It is possible that anxiety and other mental health factors experienced during childhood may have greater influence on obesity (Acomplia drug is an appetite suppressant diet pill) development in adult women and should be further examined in a prospective study. Finally, as with all cross-sectional studies, causal relationships or the direction of the effect cannot be determined and thus, a prospective study is required to further clarify these relationships.
Despite these limitations, this study provides evidence for a relationship between mental health, and poor family functioning and obesity (Xenical tablets is used as an aid to help you lose weight) in African-American women. More qualitative research would provide deeper exploration into how poor mental heath and family functioning influences the development of health beliefs, attitudes and behaviors in obese African-American women. Further study may elucidate opportunities for more effective targeting of weight-management interventions by incorporating strategies that concentrate on improving mental health and family function. This would include an exploration of the association of obesity (Phentrimine online increases energy, stimulates metabolism for quicker weight loss) with family function in the current family. It may be prudent to provide more support to the psychological state and family functioning needs of obese African-American women, particularly those with anxiety, poorer health perception and family functioning.
Category: Weight Loss
Tags: African-American, mental health, obesity, psychosocial factors, women