Relationship between attitudes and indicators of obesity for midlife women

This study uses segmentation analyses to identify five distinct subgroups of U.S. midlife women (n = 200) based on their prevailing attitudes toward food and its preparation and consumption. Mean age of the women is 46 years and they are mostly White (86%), highly educated, and employed. Attitude segments (clusters of women sharing similar attitudes) are a significant predictor of obesity indicators. Mean body mass index and percentage of body fat are lower for the "concerned about nutrition" attitude segment compared with the "guiltridden dieter" and "impulsive eater" attitude segments. Mean waist circumference is highest in "impulsive eater" compared with the "concerned about nutrition" segment. Those in the "busy cooking avoider" segment have a significantly higher energy intake compared with women in other attitude segments. Tailoring a weight management intervention according to attitude segments of midlife women may enhance effectiveness.