Table 2.
Weight history, scores on the Binge Eating Scale and Symptom CheckList-90 by obesity classes.
| Class I Obesity† n = 723 |
Class II Obesity n = 529 |
Class III Obesity n = 634 |
P value |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight history variables | ||||
| BMI at age 20 (kg/m2) | 23.8 ± 3.4 | 25.7 ± 4.6 | 28.3 ± 6.1 | < 0.001* |
| Extra weight since age 20 (kg/year) | 1.1 ± 0.8 | 1.4 ± 0.9 | 2.2 ± 1.7 | < 0.001* |
| No. of previous dieting (per year) | 0.20 (0 - 2.6) | 0.21 (0 - 4.0) | 0.27 (0 - 2.5) | < 0.001* |
| Age at first dieting (years) | 29.6 ± 11.7 | 27.1 ± 11.2 | 25.4 ± 10.4 | < 0.001* |
| Maximum weight loss (kg) | 13.0 ± 8.4 | 15.9 ± 9.1 | 21.1 ± 11.5 | < 0.001* |
| Cumulative weight loss (kg/year) | 1.4 ± 1.9 | 1.9 ± 2.4 | 2.7 ± 3.1 | < 0.001* |
| Binge Eating Scale | ||||
| Score | 12.9 ± 9.0 | 15.0 ± 9.5 | 16.8 ± 9.5 | < 0.001* |
| Score in the range 17 - 26 (%) | 24 (20 - 26) | 27 (24 - 31) | 29 (25 - 32) | 0.064° |
| Score > 26 (%) | 11 (9 - 13) | 13 (11 - 16) | 15 (13 - 18) | 0.042° |
| Symptom CheckList-90 | ||||
| Global Severity Index | 0.70 ± 0.53 | 0.79 ± 0.57 | 0.90 ± 0.62 | < 0.001* |
| Mild distress (%) | 15 (13 - 18) | 14 (12 - 18) | 20 (17 - 23) | 0.016° |
| Moderate distress (%) | 5 (3 - 6) | 9 (7 - 12) | 10 (7 - 12) | 0.001° |
| Severe distress (%) | 3 (2 - 5) | 4 (3 - 6) | 6 (5 - 8) | 0.024° |
Data are presented as mean ± SD, median and range, or as prevalence (95% confidence interval) of cases exceeding selected cut - offs.
† For ranges of obesity classes, see Table 1.
*Kruskall-Wallis or °chi2 test