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Underreporting in obese inpatients undergoing a psycho-nutritional rehabilitative program

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Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the possible correlation between underreporting and anthropometric, psychological and socio-anagraphic characteristics in obese inpatients.

Design

Perspective longitudinal study.

Subjects

Forty-two obese inpatients enrolled to a multidisciplinary 3-week weight loss program in a psycho-nutritional rehabilitative structure located in Salice Terme, Northern Italy. They underwent anthropometric, dietary, clinical, and psycho diagnostic evaluation.

Results

Forty-two subjects were included in the study of which 29 (70 %) were females and 13 were males. Mean BMI and mean waist circumference were 42.7 ± 9.5 kg/m2 and 125 ± 18 cm, respectively. The mean weight loss of 4.2 ± 2.2 kg in the whole sample was significantly greater in males compared to females. The waist circumference fell in equal measure in both of the sexes. Thirty patients were classified as underreporters according to Goldberg, two-thirds of which were females. In the course of the three recovery weeks, a third of the 30 subjects identified as underreporters at the beginning continued to underreport energy intake.

Conclusion

In our study, the prevalence of underreporting was equal to over 70 % of the original sample. There was no significant difference between the weight losses achieved by the underreporter and non-underreporter groups. All the underreporters initially became partly non-underreporters during treatment. Those who gave up the practice of underreporting were patients who had a more elevated BMI, who were more susceptible to binge eating behavior and who experienced a strong uneasiness both physically and psychologically. They also had a strongly impaired quality of life.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Mary Keller (Dietitian) for her technical and linguistic precious help.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health, Neuroscience, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Section of Human Nutrition, University of Pavia, via Bassi 21, 27100, Pavia, Italy

    Hellas Cena, Clio Oggioni, Carla Roggi & Chiara Allegri

  2. Obesity Nutritional and Psycho-physical Rehabilitation Unit, Villa Esperia Hospital, Viale dei Salici n°35, 27052, Salice Terme, PV, Italy

    Chiara Turpini & Fabiana Negri

Authors
  1. Hellas Cena
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  2. Clio Oggioni
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  3. Chiara Turpini
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  4. Fabiana Negri
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  5. Carla Roggi
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  6. Chiara Allegri
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Correspondence to Hellas Cena.

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Cena, H., Oggioni, C., Turpini, C. et al. Underreporting in obese inpatients undergoing a psycho-nutritional rehabilitative program. Eat Weight Disord 18, 199–207 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-013-0018-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-013-0018-y

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