The image of one's own body and the effectiveness of weight loss therapy.

Introduction: Aim of this study was to check the relation between body image and the effectiveness of weight loss therapy.

Material And Methods: Four body image aspects were separated: a declarative, a sensory, an imaginable and a perceived one. Five research methods were used: an objective body weight measurement, the silhouette test, the body mass assessment scale, the body satisfaction scale and a questionnaire. All methods were used: at the beginning of the therapy, after 5 per cent, 10 per cent and 15 per cent reduction in initial body weight.

Subjects: 150 overweight women, participants of an outpatient weight loss therapy.

Results: The biggest body weight reduction was linked with: an earlier appearance of excess weight (Z=-2.281, P<0.05), bigger planned body mass reduction (Z=-2.472, P<0.05), more overweight declarative self-estimation (Z=-2.136, P<0.05), worse declarative sense of looking nice (Z=-2.126, P<0.05), rare confirmation that once they had looked as an imaginary Self (Z=-1.990, P<0.05), greater general satisfaction with the appearance of their imaginary Self (Z=-2.357, P<0.05), frequent statement that an imaginary Self is attractive (Z=-2.060, P<0.05) and agile (Z=-2.387, P<0.05),worse perceived looking nice (Z=-2.596, P<0.01). A 15% (R2=0.148) reduction in initial body weight was explained with initial values of the position in the silhouette test in a perceptive (Beta=0.256, P<0.01) and an imaginable (Beta=-0.256, P<0.001) body image aspect and the BMI of an imaginary Self (Beta=0.318, P<0.01).

Conclusions: The effectiveness of weight loss therapy is supported by describing and seeing oneself as an obese person as well as imagining oneself as slim but characterized by high body mass index.