WEIGHT CYCLING, PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH, AND BINGE-EATING IN OBESE WOMEN

This study examined the relationship between weight cycling and psycho logical health in 120 obese women. Weight cycling was defined in 2 way s by retrospective self-report: total lifetime weight loss and total n umber of weight cycles greater than or equal to 20 lbs (greater than o r equal to 9.07 kg). Psychological self-report measures assessed psych iatric symptoms, eating behavior, mood, stress, and perceptions of phy sical health. Of the 52 associations between weight cycling and psycho logical parameters, 8 were significant, with the most consistent assoc iation being between weight cycling and binge eating. Binge eating was also strongly associated with psychological distress, as found in pre vious studies. After adjusting for binge eating, however, weight cycli ng was independently related to only one of the psychological measures : perceived physical health.