Motivations in weight reduction and undesirable eating behaviors among women with excessive body weight (Poland)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between attitudes toward weight loss, taking into account: the motivating factors that determine the desire to attempt weight loss; the level of well-being and degree of motivation before and during the weight loss attempt; changes in attitudes after an unsuccessful weight loss attempt; the state of well-being after the completed weight loss attempt and the degree of severity of disordered eating according to the TFEQ-13 questionnaire. The study was conducted among 600 female users of forums for people with excessive weight. The research method used in this study was the author's questionnaire and the standardized Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire. A general survey questionnaire serving as a working tool was sent by Computer-Assisted Web Interview to community groups. The predominant group of respondents cannot even count the weight reduction attempts they have made during their lives (31%). Three attempts were made by 29% of respondents, and two attempts by 17%. Attempts to lose weight most often involved increasing current physical activity (overall responses), reducing the caloric content of meals (26%), and improving current eating habits (22%). Most people reduced their body weight from 6 kg to 10 kg (29%) or from 3 to 5 kg (27%). It was found that low a risk of aggravation was diagnosed in 45.5% of people, moderate in 44.5, and low in 10%. For lack of control over eating – a low risk was observed in 15.5% of people, moderate in 68.5% of people, and high in 16%. Evaluating eating under the influence of emotions, the highest risk of the studied phenomenon was observed in 50.5% of people, moderate risk in 36.5% of people, and low risk in 13% of people. The level of motivation significantly decreased when trying to reduce weight. No significant deterioration in well-being was observed before and during the weight loss attempt.