Personality characteristics, eating habits and nutritional diagnosis. Study in adolescents with overweight and obesity in monteros, argentina

Abstract

Objective To identify the relationships between the characteristics of the persona-lity, eating habits and the nutritional diagnosis of school-age adolescents of Monte-ros, Tucumán, Argentina. Material and Method A quantitative, cross-sectional comparative study was conducted with a non-probabilistic sample of 172 adolescents (average age = 13,57 ± 1,074). Individual measurements of weight and height were taken to calculate the body mass index and divided into two groups: clinical (overweight / obese) and control (normal weight). Moreover, a personality questionnaire was applied to them, and a food consumption frequency questionnaire adapted for the present study. Results 41.9% of adolescents were overweight, obese and morbidly obese. The frequency of food consumption and eating habits are adequate in both groups, while physical activity and lifestyle was little adequate in the control group and adequate in the clinical group. Significant associations were found between personality traits, eating habits and physical activity-lifestyle, while the relationship between personality and nutritional diagnosis and the frequency of food consumption could not be verified. Conclusion The results showed an increase in overweight/obesity compared to previous local studies and the correla-tion between personality traits, eating habits and physical activity-lifestyle.