The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

5166.0: Wednesday, November 13, 2002 - 2:30 PM

Abstract #46851

Biopsychosocial Characteristics of Overweight and Obese Primary Care Patients: Do Psychosocial and Behavioral Factors Mediate Sociodemographic Effects?

Kristin Baughman, PhD1, Everett Logue, PhD1, Karen Sutton, PhD2, Cynthia Capers, PhD, RN3, David Jarjoura, PhD4, and William Smucker, MD5. (1) Family Practice Clinical Research Center, Summa Health System, P.O. Box 2090, Suite 290, Akron, OH 44309, 330-375-7798, baughmak@summa-health.org, (2) Department of Psychology, Oberlin College, Department of Psychology, Oberlin, OH 44074, (3) School of Nursing, University of Akron, Mary E. Gladwin Hall 101B, Akron, OH 44325, (4) Division of Community Health Sciences, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, 4209 State Rte 44, Rootstown, OH 44272, (5) Family Practice Center, Summa Health System, 75 Arch Street, Akron, OH 44304

Background: The increasing prevalence of obesity and obesity-related conditions in primary care settings challenges the healthcare system. Thus, we used available baseline data from an on-going clinical trial to examine the biopsychosocial characteristics of overweight and obese primary care patients. Research objective: The primary research objective was to ascertain whether theoretically important psychosocial and behavioral variables mediate the empirical relationships between sociodemographic factors and body mass index (BMI). Methods: Overweight or obese primary care patients (n=665) enrolled in an on-going trial of a cognitive-behavioral obesity intervention provided baseline sociodemographic, psychosocial, nutritional, physical activity, and anthropometric data that was analyzed via multiple regression. Results: Lower educational attainment was associated with higher BMI after controlling for decisional balance, social support, and self-efficacy, energy intake, and energy expenditure (P < .05). In contrast, race/ethnicity was not associated with BMI after controlling for the psychosocial variables. Decisional balance and social support variables were associated with BMI and energy intake, but the directions of some of the associations were not consistent with a priori expectations. Conclusions: Overall, we found some evidence of mediation by the psychosocial and behavioral variables of the relationship between race/ethnicity and BMI, but not for the relationship between education and BMI. In addition, some of the relationships between the psychosocial variables and BMI were opposite of our expectations. More research concerning the relationship among sociodemographic, psychosocial, and behavioral factors predictive of obesity is needed.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Obesity, Weight Management

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Overweight/Obesity in Adults

The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA