Self-perceived overweight, weight loss attempts, and weight gain: Evidence from two large, longitudinal cohorts

Self-identification of overweight is associated with a greater desire to lose weight, but also counterintuitively with increased future weight gain. The present research examined whether weight loss attempts mediate the prospective relation between self-perceived weight status and weight gain across adolescence and young adulthood.

Data from 2 longitudinal cohort studies was used. Study 1 tested whether the association between self-perceived weight status and weight gain (from age 10/11-14/15 years) was mediated by weight loss attempts among Australian adolescents. Study 2 focused on young adults based in the United States and examined whether attempts at weight loss mediated the relation between self-perceived overweight and weight gain from ages 16 to 28 years.

In Study 1, self-perceived weight status among adolescents was associated with greater weight gain and weight loss attempts mediated 16% of this relation. In Study 2, young adults who perceived their weight status as overweight gained more weight over time and weight loss attempts mediated 27% of this relation.

Adolescents and young adults that identify they are overweight are more likely to gain weight over time and weight loss attempts appear to mediate this effect. (PsycINFO Database Record