Jikke Hesena, Eva Vanbrabanta, Codrin Mironiuca, Lotte Lemmensa, Yuliya Shapovalovab, Gijs Goossensc, Anne Roefsa
aMaastricht University, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, bMaastricht University Medical Centre+, Department of Human Biology, Institute of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM) cRadboud University, Institute for Computing and Information Sciences
jikke.hesen@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Background: Studies have shown that obesity is multifactorially determined, including psychological, biological, behavioral and environmental causal and maintenance factors. This study aimed to identify multifactorial risk factors for obesity in the Netherlands based on the ADOPT Core Measures approach [1].
Methods: 191 individuals with overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9 kg/m2), 204 individuals with obesity (BMI > 30.0 kg/m2), and 201 individuals with a healthy BMI (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m2) from the Netherlands were included in this study. 56 internationally recognized biological (e.g., leptin, insulin sensitivity), psychological (e.g., depression), environmental (e.g., food environment), behavioral (e.g., physical activity) and personal risk factors (e.g. gender) were measured to develop comprehensive risk profiles. Additionally, body weight indicators were assessed (i.e., BMI, body fat percentage, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio). All profile-variables were correlated with body-weight indicators.
Results: We found that biological and psychological variables were most strongly related to any body weight indicator. These were fasted leptin (r(BMI) = .48), insulin resistance (r(waist) = .42) and sensitivity (r(bodyfat) = -.52), triglycerides (r(waist) = .43), body image (r(bodyfat) = .43), emotional eating (r(bodyfat) = .40) and motivation for healthy lifestyle (r(BMI) = -.40). Additionally, self-reported BMI of friends and family (r(BMI) = .34) and cardiorespiratory fitness (r(BMI) = -.55) were strongly related to body weight (all p < .001). Most environmental variables were not significantly correlated to any body weight indicator.
Conclusion: This study confirms the biopsychosocial nature of obesity in the Netherlands. The built environment in the Netherlands seems too homogenous to explain any variance in body weight indicators. Identifying the multidisciplinary risk factors for obesity or overweight paves the way for developing more effective treatments for obesity.
- MacLean PS, Rothman AJ, Nicastro HL, Czajkowski SM, Agurs‐Collins T, Rice EL, et al. The Accumulating Data to Optimally Predict Obesity Treatment (ADOPT) Core Measures Project: Rationale and Approach. Obesity. 2018;26(S2):S6–15. doi:10.1002/oby.22154