Prospective relationship of rigid and flexible control and weight loss

VerhaltenstherapieBackground: Findings from an earlier weight reduction program indicated that control of eating behaviors could play a major role not only in weight loss, but also in weight maintenance. This study attempted to replicate the findings that in a weight reduction program high pretreatment Rigid Control ( RC) is correlated with high Body Mass Index (BMI), high pre-treatment Flexible Control (FC) is correlated with low BMI, and that FC is a better predictor of overall weight loss. Patients and Methods: 70 healthy, overweight women took part in a 22-week weight loss program with 18-month post-treatment follow-up. RC and FC, BMI, and Disinhibition (DIS) were assessed by appropriate scales at pre-treatment, week 14, post-treatment and at 6 and 18-month follow-ups. Results: Both RC and FC were associated with DIS, but neither was correlated with BMI. Also, the present study did not replicate the finding that higher pre-treatment FC would be associated with greater overall weight loss; in fact, high levels of pre-treatment FC were actually detrimental to weight loss. Conclusion: In general, this study provided contradictory findings regarding the role of FC in weight loss. However, the lack of replication could be due to many factors, such as different diet programs. Further research needs to be conducted in order to better comprehend the prospective relationship of RC and FC of eating behaviors and their implications