Two major Methodological challenges face weight-related research:

1. Body weight is determined by multiple factors including genetic, cultural, socioeconomic, behavioral, and situational mechanisms; therefore, determining the independent contribution of each variable may not be possible.¹

2. Study findings are difficult to generalize since location of a bias free representative sample may not be possible.

• The vast majority of individuals in America have dieted for weight loss at some point,^2,3 and dieting via caloric restriction leads to lasting effects on physiological and mental functioning.⁴
• To date, known populations of non-dieters have not been studied so it is difficult if not impossible to separate the influence of high BMI verses dieting within study results.⁵

Ethical Concerns Associated with Weight-Related Research

1. Results of weight-related research funded primarily by commercial weight loss and pharmaceutical firms must be considered with great caution.

• These businesses represent major constituents of the 30 billion dollar per year weight loss industry and the potential risk of conflicts in interest is clear.^6,7
• The American Foundation Roundtable on Healthy Weight was convened to examine the rising incidence of overweight in America and base suggestions on a thorough review of the available scientific data.⁸ This project was funded by Weight Watchers international. In one section, the anti-diet movement was called a communication challenge to be overcome⁹ and many research studies refuting the existence of a relationship between adverse health consequences and obesity were not discussed.

2. Throughout the history of research examining the relationship between weight and morbidity/mortality, there has been considerable over emphasis on the association between the risks of higher BMI with increasing morbidity/mortality.

• Minimizing adverse findings related to low weight is common and usually occurs either by selective omission of discussion on underweight or selective emphasis on overweight.¹⁰
• Some reports actually downplay the risk associated with low body weight.

References

Back to Unit 1 C: The Relationship Between Weight and Health

© Fall 2001