Weight Loss Motivation Differs by Age
Younger people focused on appearance, older people on health. If you're trying to lose weight, what's your motivation? The answer may depend on your age. An article in the journal Obesity analyzed data from 2,964 participants in the National Weight Control Registry. The data revealed that motivations for weight loss and weight loss behaviors differed between young adults (ages 18-35) and older adults (36-50). Of the nine possible reasons for weight loss, six were significantly different between the groups. Older adults were more likely to mention health as their motivation for losing weight, while young adults were more likely to mention appearance, social pressure, wanting to feel good about themselves, attending a social event, and to improve their social life. Older adults were more likely to enroll in a commercial weight-loss program and talk with their physician as ways to lose weight, while young adults were more likely to attend exercise classes and to lose weight on th...