Original paper
The assessment of dietary habits and lifestyle in patients with visceral obesity

Aim : The assessment of dietary habits and lifestyle in patients with visceral obesity.

Material and methods : The study was carried out on a group of 71 patients with visceral obesity (average (body mass index – BMI) 37.3 kg/m²), aged 22-75 years. A research tool consisted of a questionnaire designed especially for the purpose of this research.

Results : Only 11.2% of patients declared more positive than negative dietary behaviors, whereas the others made mistakes in the majority of the evaluated elements of a diet. Almost 48% of patients admitted to everyday snacking (mainly sweets) and over 29% of patients confirmed to consume additional snacks quite often. Approximately 46.5% of respondents declared the lack of physical activity or low activity. Nearly 75% of patients with visceral obesity acknowledge that they are often under pressure, and the main way of coping with stressful situations are those behaviors that cause weight gain. Some of the assessed dietary mistakes correlated with a waist circumference, such as high consumption of fats, fast food, and sweetened drinks.

Conclusions: Patients with visceral obesity are characterized by improper dietary habits and lifestyle conducive to weight gain. Incorrect habits concerning the preparation of meals and diets are more often the cause for obesity in men whereas in women a low physical activity and reaction to stress are conducive to weight gain. Essential correlation between waist circumference and improper diet suggests that mistakes made in alimentation are essentially involved in the pathogenesis of obesity.