Pounds of Personality

The Huffington Post:

It’s November, which means that Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching — and with it the season of temptation. Beginning with the giblet gravy and ending with the New Year’s Eve champagne toast, the weeks ahead will add a pound of weight to the typical American — a pound that will rarely be lost. That means steadily expanding waistlines as we move from young adulthood into middle age and beyond.

But some people won’t follow this trend. Some are conscientious and disciplined and know where to draw the line on indulging, while others seem to lack control of their impulses and desires. Some experts have even suggested that there is an obese personality type — a neurotic style of thinking and feeling and acting that leads inevitably to unhealthy weight gain.

But is it that simple? Obviously a chronic lack of discipline can lead to overindulgence and extra pounds, but psychological scientists — both aging specialists and weight specialists — are rethinking the obvious. Is it possible that the interaction between personality and weight is a two-way street — that is, that weight gain might also cause a change in personality, a shift toward impulsiveness over time?

Read the whole story: The Huffington Post