Physical activity, weight change, and self-perception changes among obese individuals

The primary purpose of this research was to investigate relationships between physical activity participation, weight change, and selfreports of social physique anxiety, physical self-concept and health-related quality of life. A secondary purpose was to investigate personality as a mediator of self-perceptions and quality of life beliefs following obesity surgery. Two studies with differing methodologies were conducted. The first study was a cross-sectional survey of patients who had participated in a multi-component clinical weight-loss program involving a combination of physical activity, diet modification, and drug therapy. The second study was a longitudinal investigation of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding patients. Amount of weight lost was not found to be related to changes in social physique anxiety, physical self-concept or health-related quality of life. However, physical activity levels were found to be an important predictor of improvements in physical self-concept and health-related quality of life amongst clinical weight loss patients, but not surgical patients. Improvements over time with respect to social physique anxiety, physical self-concept and health-related quality of life were observed amongst all participants who underwent LABG. Personality factors, whilst not predicting changes over time in social physique anxiety, physical self-concept or health-related quality of life, discriminated between two types of obese adults presenting for obesity surgery. Future research could be undertaken to determine if long-term outcomes differ for these two types of patients.