Lean and weight stable: Behavioral predictors and psychological correlates

Objective: To examine behavioral characteristics associated with being lean and weight stable during adulthood. Research Methods and Procedures: Participants included 165 white married couples who were part of a larger longitudinal study. Participants' height and weight were measured on three occasions at 2-year intervals. Men and women were classified as being lean and weight stable (the target group) if they had a BMI < 25 at baseline and maintained their weight within 5% of baseline at 2nd and 4th year follow-up. Individuals not fulfilling these criteria were included in the comparison group. Group differences in background characteristics including childhood weight status, BMI at each occasion, dieting history, and mental and physical health history were examined. In addition, multiple measures of dietary intake and physical activity were obtained and used to predict the likelihood of being in the target group. Results: Men (N = 22) and women (N = 36) in the target group had lower mean BMI scores at each occasion, were less overweight during childhood, were less likely to have dieted in the past year, and rated themselves as being more healthy than men and women in the comparison group. No differences were identified in mental health. Relative to the comparison group, women in the target group reported higher levels of physical activity and higher levels of physical activity among their spouses, and men in the target group reported healthier dietary patterns. Discussion: Results from this study suggest that being lean and weight stable in adulthood is linked to childhood weight status in combination with dietary and activity patterns during adulthood.