EXTERNALLY ORIENTED THINKING OF OBESE MEN AND WOMEN

This study examined tile association of scores an alexithymia and obes ity. The obese group (n = 47) reported significantly higher total scor es on the Toronto Alexithymia Scale than the nonobese group (n = 190). Of the four factors of alexithymia, although significant differences were not found in the statistical analysis with a Bonferroni correctio n, scores on externally-oriented thinking (so-called ''pensee operatoi re'') were higher for the obese group than the nonobese group. The res ults suggest that persons with simple obesity are prone to alexithymia , in particular externally-oriented thinking.