XXL-TYPE PERSONALITY. Personality traits promoting excess body weight.

THE AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to determine whether persons suffering from obesity may be characterised by specific personality traits which promote the development of excess body weight. Additionally, the aim involved finding whether persons suffering from morbid obesity differed from healthy individuals and somatic patients as regards selected personality traits. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study enrolled 34 patients with the diagnosis of morbid obesity in the process of qualification for surgical treatment of obesity. The patients' BMI ranged from 35 to 54 kg/m2. Study participants completed NEO-FFI personality inventory (Costa, McCare; 1998) and the authors' questionnaire designed to collect demographic data and anthropometric measurements. R esults: The study showed that patients with morbid obesity significantly differed from healthy individuals and somatic patients as regards the analysed measurements of the Big Five. C onclusions: The traits which were significantly distinctive in morbidly obese patients included lowered conscientiousness and increased neuroticism. The results indicate that the above pattern of personality traits may promote the development of excessive body weight.