Abstract

ROSA, Marta Freitas  and  GONCALVES, Sónia. Moderators and mediators of relationship between psychopatology and obesity and overweight in adolescence. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2011, vol.12, n.2, pp.224-236. ISSN 1645-0086.

Overweight and obesity in adolescence may have strong psychosocial repercussions; however, not all teenagers with overweight demonstrate problems in their psychological and social function. It is possible to find in the literature, studies which report strong associations between obesity and psychopathology and studies which did not find superior levels of mental dysfunction in teenagers with overweight, comparing with teenagers with normal weight. This lack of conformity between studies enhances the role of certain variables in resilience to negative consequences of obesity. The majority of studies which affirm that does not exist a direct relationship between overweight and psychological problems, enhances regulating role of emotional competences, coping and social-family variables. The purpose of this article is to review studies concerning relationship between obesity and psychopathology, as well as present moderator and mediators factors which are most referred and that can explain the diversity of empirical results found in this thematic. A better understanding of these factors can be useful in the construction of preventive and remediative programs with higher success rate.

Keywords : Obesity; Overweight; Adolescence; Psychopathology; Moderators; Social Support; Emotions.

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