Keywords

Obesity -- Psychological aspects, Sex differences, Weight loss

Abstract

Obesity constitutes one of America's major health problems. It has been estimated that there are 40 to 80 million Americans who are considered obese (Stuart & Davis, 1972). When 20% above ideal weight is used as a criterion of overweight, it is approximated that 25% to 45% of American adults fall into this category (Rodin, 1977).

There is a sex difference in the prevalence of obesity. While some studies suggest that biological factors predispose females toward obesity (Stuart & Jacobson, 1979), other studies attribute the sex differences to social factors (Hall & Havassy 1981; Wooley, Wooley, & Dyrenforth 1979a; Zegman 1983). Research has shown that females tend to be more concerned with their body image than their male counterparts and therefore dieting is more frequent among females (Dwyer & Mayer 1970; Zegman 1983). Sex differences in dietary practices and attitudes toward weight may reflect differential social learning histories between males and females.

Notes

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Graduation Date

1985

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Zegman, Marilyn A.

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree Program

Clinical Psychology

Format

PDF

Language

English

Rights

Public Domain

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Identifier

DP0017156

Contributor (Linked data)

Marilyn A. Zegman (Q60390659)

Accessibility Status

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