THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG THE TRANSTHEORETICAL MODEL OF BEHAVIORAL-CHANGE, PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, AND DIET ATTITUDES IN OBESITY - IMPLICATIONS FOR PRIMARY-CARE INTERVENTION

Obesity is prevalent but undertreated in primary care. Family practice volunteer outpatients (N = 454) were administered the Stage of Change for Weight (URICA) the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and the Diet Re adiness Test (DRT) to assess the relationship between these variables and obesity. The body mass index (BMI) was used to classify obesity re vealing 197 patients with elevated BMI's. There was no significant dif ference between the obese and the nonobese on any of the psychological measures. The obese reported significantly more difficulty setting di et goals and less control over their eating, ate more to emotional sit uations, and exercised less than the nonobese. The obese sample (46.7% ) reported being in the Action stage of change for weight management. Implications for intervention in primary care include targeting attitu des (DRT) and dispelling physician attitudes that obese individuals ha ve increased levels of psychological distress. Addressing Stage of Cha nge for weight management can facilitate tailoring the appropriate int ervention when used in concert with the DRT variables.