Psychiatric symptoms in clients presenting for commercial weight reduction treatment. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence and severity of psychiatric symptoms in a group of clients presenting to a commercial weight reduction program, compared with a group of patients seeking outpatient medical treatment. METHOD: Sixty-six clients presenting for commercial weight loss treatment and 52 patients presenting for general outpatient medical treatment were given self-report measures of anxiety (Spielberger State and Trait Inventory), depression (Beck Depression Inventory), body dissatisfaction (Body Shape Questionnaire), and overall impairment in functioning (Sheehan Disability Scale). RESULTS: Weight loss clients had significantly higher rates of depressive symptomatology and psychosocial disability than patients presenting for medical treatment. Weight loss clients were also more likely to demonstrate body dissatisfaction regardless of actual weight. Levels of anxiety were not significantly different, despite the medical group reporting themselves to be in poorer health as compared with the weight loss group. DISCUSSION: Regular screening for psychiatric symptoms in clients presenting for commercial weight reduction treatment may be valuable as this group may constitute an as yet unidentified cohort requiring psychiatric intervention.

publication date

  • September 1, 1996

Research

keywords

  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Depressive Disorder
  • Obesity
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0029790826

PubMed ID

  • 8863072

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 20

issue

  • 2