Could your personality traits affect your weight?
Is your personality making you gain weight? A study reported in the Guardian newspaper thinks so.
It has been found that certain personality traits have directly influenced how people view their own weight, which then affects their actual weight.
Do you fit into the following groups? Read how the following groups correlate with weight - and then drop us a comment with what you think at the bottom of this blog post.
A) Extroverted and Enthusiastic
B) Organised and Reliable
C) Worried and Stressed
Extroverted and Enthusiastic
The study found that people who are extroverts believe they are leaner and thinner than they actually are.
Previously, research has found that weight gain is more common among people who are impulsive and those who enjoy taking risks – which are traits associated with being extroverted.
A weight difference of almost 10kg was found between the 10% most impulsive and least impulsive people that were surveyed.
“Impulsive individuals are prone to binge eating and alcohol consumption. These behavioural patterns may contribute to weight gain over time,” said Angelina R. Sutin, from the National Institute of Aging.
Organised and Reliable
People who work thoroughly are more likely to be a healthier weight. The report has suggested that the top 25% meticulous workers weigh an average of 5kg lower than the 25% least meticulous.
This may be because people who strive to be on time, regularly meet deadlines or follow rules by the book find it easier to follow a diet or fitness plan.
These strong planners carefully consider their actions, before effectively carrying out their plans.
Worried and Stressed
The report reckoned that participants who scored lower on emotional stability tend to overestimate their weight.
People who are prone to mood swings are more likely to reach for food, says Art Markman, Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas.
“Those who are emotionally excitable view things as either very good or the worst thing ever. The more excited you are in general, the more likely you are to reach for food.”
Markman added that those who are worried and stressed also are likely to overeat, especially if it involved being anxious or hard on themselves.
“If you are hard on yourself, you’re more likely to continue overeating after you’ve slipped up. Since realising you’ve overeating leads to a feeling of hopelessness, if you’re not compassionate by nature, you need to work hard on forgiving yourself.”
Solutions
To find out if your personality or mood influences your weight gain or weight loss, use the Marsden M-550 high accuracy Floor Scale to monitor your progress.
If you have any questions about your weight and want to know more about the weighing options available to you, get in touch with the Marsden team by calling 01709 296364.