PERSONALITY TRAITS AND IMPULSIVITY IN ASSOCIATION WITH OBESITY AMONG THE STUDENTS OF TEACHERS TRAINING

COLLEGES

Nor Zam Azihan bin Mohd Hassan

Faculty of Medicine. and Health Sciences

UNIVERSITI MALA YSIA SARA WAK

2.012

....

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

All praises and thanks be to. Allah (S.W.n, who has guided me to this, never could I have

found guidance, were it not that Allah had guided me.

Words cannot express my gratitude towards my supervisor, Associate Prof Dr. Siti Raudzah

binti Ghazali for the patience, humble supervision and advice I received from her in the

course of this project.

Also I would like to heartily thank staffs and participants of Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus

Batu Lintang, Kuching Sarawak, Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Tun Abdul Razak, Kota

Samarahan, Sarawak and Ministry of Education for giving me the permission and their full

support during the data collection, and not to forget, Matthew S. Stanford, Profes~or

Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University and Michael C. Ashton,

Department of Psychology, Brock University, Canada, for giving the permission and

guidance on using the instruments for this research.

Finally, I would like express my gratitude towards my fellow colleges of Masters of Public

Health UNIMAS, and the lecturers who had help me throughout the completion of this

project.

ABSTRACT

Obesity has recently become important to the world ofmedicine and also public health due to

its rapidly increased prevalence both in the developed and developing country. The

impulsivity and personality traits have been studied in the past and significantly related to

overweight and obesity. Therefore, a cross-sectional study was conducted to determine if

personality traits and impulsive behaviours were significantly associated with overweight and

obesity among teachers training students. Three hundred and forty nine students from two

teachers training colleges in Sarawak have participated in this study. The Barratt

Impulsiveness Scale-II and HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised were adapted to

measure impulsivity and personality. Participant's weight and height were taken and Body

Mass Index were calculated and then categorized according to Body Mass Index

classification for Asian population. Results showed that the prevalence of overweight was

24.9% and 12.3% of the participants are categorized as obese. Further analysis also showed

that the obese and overweight tends to be more extroverted, less fear to physical harm, lacks

of patience, as well as more impulsive than the non-obese or non-overweight. They tend to

have significant difference perSonality traits and impulsive behaviour compare to the n~)fl-

obese and non-overweight. The results supported previous studies regarding- the relationship

of personality traits and impulsivity with obesity. Further studies among c-· other college

students and other age groups should be able make the results more meaningful.

ii

ABSTRAK

Kebelakangan ini, masalah kegemukan telah ,menjadi telah menjadi masalah yang penting

dalam dunia perubatan dan juga kesihatan awam kerana bilangannya yang telah bertambah

yang bertambah dengan mendadak di negara maju mahupun di negara membangun. Tingkah

laku impulsif dan personaliti telah banyak dikaji dan berkait rapat dengan masalah

kegemukan. Oleh itu, tujuan kajian ini dijalankan adalah untuk menentukan personaliti dan

tingkah laku impulsif di kalangan remaja obes di kalangan remaja tempatan. Tiga ratus empat

puluh sembilan pelajar dari dua buah institut pendidikan guru di Sarawak telah mengambil

bahagian dalam kajian ini. Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-II (BIS-II) dan HEXACO

Personality Inventory-Revised (HEXACO-PI-R) digunakan dalam kajian ini untuk mengukur

tingkah laku dan personaliti. Berat dan tinggi perserta juga diambil dan Indeks Jisim tubuh

dikira dan kemudian dikategorikan mengikut Indeks Jisim Tubuh untuk populasi Asia. Hasil

kajian menunjukkan bahawa prevalens berlebihan berat badan adalah 24.9% dan 12.3%

peserta dikategorikan sebagai obes. Analisis selanjutnya juga menunjukkan bahawa remaja

gemuk dan berlebihan berat badan lebih extrovert, kurang takut untuk mengalami kecederaan

fizikal, kurang kesabaran, serta lebih impulsif daripada tremaja yang tidak gemuk atau tidak .

berlebihan berat badan bukan. Mereka didapati mempunyai personaliti dan tingkah l~

impulsif yang berbeza berbanding dengan bukan obes dan berlebihan berat badan bukan:

Keputusan kajian menyokong kajian yang telah dilakukan sebelum ini tentang hubungan

antara trait personaliti dan juga kelakuan impulsif terhadap obesiti. Kajian yang selanjutnya

terhadap pelajar-pelajar kolej yang lain mahupun golongan umur yang lain akan dapat

membantu mengukuhkan lagi hasil kajian ini.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

ABSTRAK

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF APPENDICES

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW

1.1. Introduction

1.1.1 Purpose of the study

1.1.2 Background of the study population

1.1.3 Significance of the study

1.2. Literature review

1.2. L Introduction

1.2.2. Prevalence of Obesity

1.2.3. Obesity and Personality

1.2.4. Obesity and Impulsivity

1.2.5. Conclusion

1.3. Problem statement

iv

PAGE

1

ii

III

IV

VB

Vlll

ix

x

1

1

7

8

9

10

10

11

12

16

19

20

p apt

1.4. Research objectives 22

1.4.1. General objective: 22

1.4.2. Specific objectives: 22

1.5. Research hypotheses 23

CHAPTER 2 - METHODS AND MATERIALS 24

2.1. Methods 24

2.1.1. Research design 24

2.1.2. Sample population 25

2.1.3. Sampling method 26

2.1.3.1. Inclusion and exclusion criteria 27

2.IA. Sample size calculation 28

2.1.5. Procedures 30

2.1.5.1. Ethical approval 30

2.1.5.2. Data collection 30

2.2. Materials 31

2.2.1. Instrument 31

2.2.1.1. Section A Sociodemographic -Characteristics 31

2.2.1.2. Section B Weight, height and BMI 32

2.2.1.3. Section C- The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-II 34

2.2.1.4. Section D - HEXACO Personality Inventory- 35

Revised (HEXACO-PI-R)

2.2.1.5. Translation 37

2.2.2. Pilot Study 38

2.3. Operational Definitions 39

2.4. Data entry and analysis 43

v

...

CHAFTER3-RESULTS 46

3.1. Introduction 46

3.2. Characteristics of the participants 47

3.2.1. Sociodemographic 47

3.2.2. Prevalence ofoverweight and obesity among the 54

participants

3.3. Personality traits between overweight and non-overweight 55

participants

3.4. Impulsivity between overweight and non-overweight 61

participants

3.5. Personality traits between obese and non-obese participants 63

3.5.1. Persona1ity traits six factors (HEXACO) between obese 63

and non-obese

3.5.2. Extraversion facets score between obese and non-obese 66

3.6. Impulsivity between obese and non-obese participants 66

CHAPTER 4 - DISCUSSION, IMPLICATIONS AND 68

RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1. Discussion 68

4.1.1. Research findings 68

4.1.2. The strengths 73

4.1.3. The limitations 74

4.2. Implications and recommendations 75

CHAPTER 5 - SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 77

REFERENCES 92

APPENDICES 95

vi

Pp

LIST OF TABLES

TITLE PAGE

Table 1.1. Classification of weight by BMI 33

overweight

and non-overweight

overweight and non-overweight

overweight and non-overweight.

obese and non-obese

obese and non-obese.

Table 3.1. Participant sociodemographic characteristics 48

Table 3.2. Result oft-test comparing mean age of overweight and non­ 50

Table 3.3. Result ofX2 analysis between demographic variables ofoverweight 51

Table 3.4. Participant's BM! 54

Table 3.5. Group differences for personality trait factors and its facets between 56

Table 3.6. Group differences for impulsivity and its components between 62

Table 3.7. Group differences for personality trait factors and its facets between 64

Table 3.8. Group differences for impulsivity and its components between 67

vii

LIST OF FIGURES

TITLE PAGE

Figure 1.1. Conceptual Framework 18

according to gender

according to ethnicity .

overweight and non-overweight

Figure 2.1. Participants' enrolment diagram 29

Figure 2.2. Flow chart of the study 45

Figure 3.1. Numbers of overweight and non-overweight participants 52

Figure 3.2. Number ofoverweight and non-overweight participants 53

Figure 3.3. Group differences for personality trait factors between 58

viii

LIST OF APPENDICES

TITLE PAGE

Appendix A Infonnation on The Study 92

AppendixG HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised (HEXACO-PI-R) - 102

Malay

AppendixB Consent Fonn 95

AppendixC Socio-Demographic Data Questionnaire 96

AppendixD Body Mass Index (BMI) Fonn 97

AppendixE The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-II (BIS-II) - Malay 98

Appendix F The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-II (BIS-II) 100

AppendixH HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised (HEXACO-PI-R) 107

Appendix I Permission letter by the Research and Ethical Committee of 112 •

Faculty ofMedicine and Health Sciences, UNlMAS

AppendixJ Pennission letter by Planning and Educational Policy Research 113

Division, Ministry ofEducation, Malaysia

ix

F

LIST OF ABBREVIATION

BIS

BMI

CI

DF

HEXACO

IQR

M

MOH

SD

Barratt Impulsiveness Scale

Body Mass Index

Confidence interval

Degree of freedom

Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, extraversion, Agreeableness,

Conscientiousness, Openness to experience

Inter quartile range

Mean

Ministry ofHealth, Malaysia

Standard deviation

•

x

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW

1.1. Introduction

Obesity is has recently become important to the world of medicine and also public health due to

its rapidly increased prevalence both in the developed or developing country. The increase in

prevalence is very rapid that many have classified it as the new thread to health. The increase in

prevalence not only confine to the adults but to all age groups, including the adolescent. Obesity

among the adolescent undeniably important as this will reflect on the prevalence of other related

diseases in the future. •

Obesity has become one of the major public health crises across the world, in developing to the

fully developed country (Yach, Stuckler & Brownell, 2006). It increases the risk of morbidity

and mortality due to cardiovascular diseases (Rimm et aI. )~95, WHO 2005) .

. <.Obesity has arisen rapidly due to the change in the lifestyle activities and also the type of food

consumed in concordance to the rapid development. It may not been too obvious, but slowly, the

increase ofobesity prevalence will increase the prevalence ofother diseases too.

Obesity occurs when energy intake from food and drink consumption is greater than energy

expenditure through the body's metabolism and physical activity over a prolonged period,

resulting in the accumulation of excess body fat. However there are many complex behavioural

1

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and societal factors that combine to contribute to the causes of obesity. The Foresight report

(2007) referred to a "complex web of societal and biological factors that have, in recent decades,

exposed .our inherent human vulnerability to weight gain". The report presented an obesity

system map with energy balance at its centre. Around this, over 100 variables directly or

indirectly influence energy balance.

Obesity is often defined simply as "a condition of abnormal or excessive fat accumulation in

adipose tissue, to the extent that health may be impaired. However, obese individuals differ not

only according to the degree of excess fat, which they store, but also in the regional distributio~

of the fat within the body. Indeed, excess abdominal fat is as great a risk factor for disease as is

excess body fat per se" (WHO 1998). Overweight and obesity are both refer to ranges of body

weight that are greater than what is generally considered healthy for an individual of a given •

height. According to Management of Obesity Clinical Practice Guideline, Ministry of Health

Malaysia (MOH, 2004), obesity is a complex, multifactorial condition characterized by excess

body fat. It must be viewed as a chronic disorder that essentially requires perpetual care, support

and follow-up. qbesity is associated with many other diseases, and it w~ts recognition by

hea1th-care proyiders

.........~

The current WHO classification states that the cut-off points for overweight and obesity is 25

and 30 kglm2 respectively (WHO, 1998). However, it has become increasingly clear that there is

a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular risk factors in parts of Asia

below those cut-off points. There are evidence from several Asian countries including Hong

Kong (Ko et.al., 1999), Singapore (Deurenberg, 2000), China (Zhou, 2002; Jia et. aI., 2002),

2

India (Yajnik, 2002 & Reddy et.al., 2002), and Japan (Yoshiike et.aL, 2002) showing that the

risk of co-morbidities begin to rise at lower BMI cut off values compares to the international

BMI classification. Compared to the CaucasianlEuropean populations, many Asian populations

have a higher body fat percentage at similar BMI (Wang et.aI, 1994; Deurenberg-Yap et. aI.,

2000; He et.al, 2001; Gurrici et.al., 1998). Even though no attempt was made to redefine BMI

cut-off points for Asian populations in WHO Consultation report 2004, this report however,

identified further potential public health action points along the continuum of previous BMI

classifications (WHO, 1998) at which to trigger policy action, to facilitate prevention

programmes and to measure the effect of intervention (WHO, 2004).

Recently, the importance of obesity has been recognised in many studies as to be associated with

not only medical diseases, but also some psychological aspects including individual personality •

traits and impUlsivity (Chalmers et aI., 1990; Ryde'n et aI., 2003; Williamson et aI., 1985;

Angelina et aI, 2011).

: According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM­

~V), personality traits are enduring patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the

. -enVironment and one self that are exhibited in a wide range ofsocial and personality contexts. It

also can be defined as stable, fundamental dimensions of personality, influencing our thoughts

and behaviours in a variety of situations (Matthews et aI., 1998).

Compares to the big five model of personality trait, which only have five factors; the new the

HEXACO model (Ashton & Lee, 2001) have six factors of personality trait, in which are

3

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categorized as Humanity-Humility (H), Emotionally (E), Extroversion (X), Agreeableness (A),

Conscientiousness (C) and Openness to Experience (0); and each dimensions were further

divided into four (4) facets.

Where else, impulsivity has been variously defined as behaviour without adequate thought, the

tendency to act with less forethought than do most individuals ofequal ability and knowledge, or

a predisposition toward rapid, unplanned reactions to internal or external stimuli without regard

to the negative consequences of these reactions (Dickman, 1993; Moeller et aI., 2001). It often

being !efers to dyscontrols, spontaneous, forethought, impulses, immediate rewards and

unmodulated. It is also associated to a numbers of psychiatric disorders including Mania,

Personality Disorders, and Substance Use Disorders.

The concept of impulsivity remains ill-defined (Evenden, 1999). It may involve an inability to

assess the behaviors or decisions risks, or a tendency to choose risky options even with the

ability to accurately assess the associated risks (Eysenck & McGurk, 1980), a tendency to choose

an immediate but small than a delayed but large reward (Cherek & Lane, 1999; Logue, 1988),

difficulty in controlling strong impulse, especially in an abnormal emotional conditions

(American Psychiatric Association, 2004; Whiteside et aI., 2005).

Barratt (1985) divided impulsive behavior into three components. The three components are

cognitive impulsiveness (making quick cognitive decision), motor impulsiveness (acting without

thinking) and non-planning impulsiveness (lack of planning). However, many studies had a

problems with the identifying the cognitive impulsiveness subtrait using the Barratt

4

Impulsiveness Scale (Luengo et aI., 1991). As a result, this subtrait was labelled as attentional

impulsiveness, which is the inability to concentrate

Personality traits defer from each person to the other. It also decides the way people behave or

react towards environment. Personality traits of each individual are influenced by many factors.

This factors can be either or a combination of environmental factors, genetic factors and other

factors. Besides being influenced by many factors, there are also suggestions that personality

influence diseases (Smith & Gallo, 2001). Obesity on the other hand is one of the diseases to be

associated with personality traits (Larsen et aI., 1989).

Weight and weight gain are certainly determined by several factors. Unhealthy eating behaviour

for example, is one of the factors leading to weight gain. Moreover, eating can be a form of

emotion regulation, the inability to resist cravings contributes to binge eating, whereas self­

discipline is required to exercise regularly. This suggests that weight is a physical manifestation

of processes inherent to an individual's characteristic ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

Thus, body weight is a part of a reflection of the processes that define common personality traits

(Angelina et.a], 20 II)

Patients with morbid obesity are considered to be psychologically different due to the existence

of determined behaviour patterns and personality models which have an influence on calorie

intake and energy expenditure and, consequently, on weight loss (Charles, 1987).

5

Obesity and personality trait is somehow related to one another. According to Larsen et aI.,

Pp

(1989), personality and obesity is related to one another in three possible ways; 1) certain

personality traits resulting in weight gain; 2) personality changes or effects of being obese; 3) as

an interaction between personality and situation, i.e. a combination of these two mechanisms.

The answer remains uncertain. It is speculated that certain personality trait may be associated

with obesity, either as consequences of obesity or personality trait as a predisposing factor to

obesity. This warrant for longitudinal study that may consume more time and cost. However, in

order to proceed with longitudinal study, some basic information is need Therefore, to find out

which types of personality traits are most significantly associated with obesity, a cross sectional

study was proposed. With the lack of knowledge regarding the association between obesity and

personality traits, there is a need to explore the association between these variables .

• Besides the studies between the obese ad personality traits, numerous studies also have found

higher Neuroticism scores among the underweight and peoples with eating disorder (Kakizaki et

aI., 2008) (Bulik et aI., 2006; Cassin & von Ranson 2005). For example, in a study among the

large population-based cohort of Swedish twins, Neuroticism was found to predict subsequent

developmerlt ofanorexia nervosa (Bulik et aI., 2005).

Further studies of the neuroticism facets have found that the underweights tend to be more

anxious, vulnerable, depressed, angry, and hostile. However, compares to the other facets of

neuroticism, the underweights tend to have lower score on Impulsiveness. The study also had

- shown that low Impulsiveness was a predictor ofunderweight despite the overly stringent control

on food consumption. This finding is also consistent with other clinical studies that found a

lower score of impUlsiveness among the restrictive anorexia nervosa patients (Claes et aI., 2005).

6

...

However, in this study, the underweight group will not be analysed and wi1l be included in the

non-overweight group to compare with the overweight people.

Even though metabolism and build has its influence in variation of body weight, behaviour also

has its importance in determining body weight. For examples, physical activity and a sedentary

lifestyle are related to person's weight (Davison & Birch, 2004; Janssen et.al, 2004).

Besides physical inactivity or the sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy eating behaviour for example, is

another factor known to be associated with obesity. With the availability of high caloric, tasty

food items, the temptation is always present. However, even though they are overexposed to the

same food, not everyone experiences difficulties in limiting one's food intake. The difference iIi

impUlsivity is thought to be one ofthe factors leading to increase in food intake, and thus leading

to obesity.

Some studies have showed that obese adults are more impUlsive. They also tend to have poor

decision making. Mpreover, they are likely to choose risky but high immediate gain (Davis et.al,

2004).

,... ",',.;:

':-" ­

1.1.1. Purpose of tbe study

The main purpose of the study is to understand the obesity in relation to personality traits and

impulsivity among the studied popUlation.

7

1.1.2. Background oftbe study population

The teachers training centre is a higher education institute that train a future primary and

secondary school teachers. These teachers training centres provides teachers for future

generation through multiple program suites for future education. The program provided by the

teachers training centres includes mathematic, English language, Malays language, Chinese

language, science, preschool education, special education and others. Overall, there are a total of

twenty seven (27) teachers training centre throughout Malaysia and four (4) of them are situated

in Sarawak. One of the four teachers training centres is the Institu tPendidikan Guru Kampus

Batu Lintang, situated in Kuching Division, Sarawak. Where else another one of them is the

Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Tun Abdul Razak, which situated in Kota Samarahan Division,

Sarawak. ..

Majority of the students are range from 18 to 23 years old and composed of mainly Malays,

Chinese, Bidayuh, Melanau, Ibanese and other indigenous Sarawakian and Sabahan.Number of

students attending Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Batu Lintang, Kuching are 724, where else

659 students attending Institut Pendidik3n Guru Kampus Tun Abdul Razak, Kota Samarahan.

These make a total population of 1383 students.However, from a total of 1383, only 188 students

from Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Batu Lintang and 161 students from Institut Pendidikan

Guru Kampus Tun Abdul Razak were included in this study, making a total of 349 students.

8

pc::

1.1.3. Significance of the study

The aim of this study is to detennine if personality traits and impulsive behaviours were

significantly associated with overweight and obesity among teachers training students. Results of

the study may have implications for local and other populations of teachers training centres and

other colleges in Malaysia. The current study was conducted to detennine the prevalence of

obesity and overweight among the teacher training centres and to identify significant personality

traits among the obese and overweight people, while at the same time identifying if they are

significantly more impulsive then the non-obese and non-overweight. Therefore it will provide

information and better understanding about obesity and overweight in order to reduce prevalence

obesity in Malaysia. This is important for public health personnel to design strategic health

promotion intervention strategies because this may provide information that can be used for

development ofeffective interventions to reduce prevalence ofobesity in Malaysia.

Personality traits also can decide the successfulness of the Therapy-induced weight loss (Sullivan .',

et aI., 2007), and knowledge: ..on patients' character can ..contribute to difference treatment

planning (Sanderson & Clarkin, 2002). Personality traits also are related to different preferences

for exercise setting, motives, and barriers (Courneya & Hellsten, 1998), and interventions that

take into account such individual differences might achieve better treatment outcomes. For

example, extroverts may prefer to do exercise and live in group (Courneya & Hellsten, 1998),

and the presence of others may have an impact on food intake (Herman, 2003). Due to the

limited availability on studies regarding the personality traits and impulsivity among the college

9

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students especiaHy among the teachers training colleges, further studies can improve the

understanding and at the same time provide additional information regarding this topic.

1.2. Literature review

1.2.1. Introduction

This section provides an overview of obesity literature and its significance with personality traits

and impulsive behaviour. Due to the increasing prevalence of obesity worldwide, many studies

have been done to learn more regarding obesity and to find out any means necessary to tackle

this issue. This infonnation includes the association of obesity with personality traits and

impulsivity. Several approaches were used to retrieve studies for this review, includes computer •

search using Google, PubMed and Medline data sets using specific key words, manual search of

relevant journals, and review of article reference lists. Internationally and locally conducted

studies were included for the literature review.

10

I

r 1.2.2. Prevalence of Obesity

The obesity problem has increased overtime especially among adolescence. The high prevalence

of obesity especially among adolescence has become a major health concern across these

countries, including Malaysia (WHO, 2000). It was estimated that in 2005, the total numbers of

overweight and obese adults worldwide, were 937 million and 396 million respectively (Kelly et

a1. 2008). This numbers have doubled compares to 20 years ago (James et aI., 2004). By the year

2030, these figures are projected to be 1.3 billion and 573 million for overweight and obese

adults respectively (Kelly et aL 2008). Some even suggested that Asia is emerging as the

epicentre of the obesity epidemic (Sicree et.aI., 2003). This is due to the situation in this region

that contains some of the most populous countries in the world, and has under gone pronounced

demographic, epidemiologic, and socio economic change in recent decades.

According to The National Health Survey III, 2006, the national prevalence of normal BM!

(BMI 18.5-24.9 kglm2) was 48.4% (47.7-49.0). 29.1% (28.6-29.7) of the adults were

ove~eight (BM! 25.0-29.9 kglm2) where else, 14.0% (13.6-14.5) of the adults were categorized

as obese (BM! >30.0 kglm2). These figures are comparably higher than last national health

survey II done in 1996. The prevalence ofoverweight has increased from 16.6% in the NMHS II

to 29.1% NMHSIII, comparable with the finding of 27.4% reported in another nationally

representative sample involving over 5,000 adults namely, the Malaysian Adults Nutrition

Survey (MANS) conducted in 2003 (Mohammad et. al. 2008). The sample may be nationally

representative, but the representative young adult age groups were not showed in this study.

11

Since the prevalence of obesity has been increased, most probably the prevalence of obesity

among the college students may be high as well.

According to a study done by Boo et al. (2010), among the 240 medical school student of

International Medical University, Malaysia, there is a significant different between male and

female weight, whereby percentage of the males were overweight or obese were higher compare

to females. Besides that, the results based on the WHO Asian BMI classification of body weight

shows that the prevalence of normal weight was 55.0%, while the underweight was 15%. The

prevalence of pre-obese was 24.2% and obese was 5.8%. In other words, 30.0% of the subjects

were overweight. Similarly, the latest study among college student done by Kuan et al. (2011),

found out that 62% of University of Malaysia Sarawak (UNlMAS) students were categorized as

having normal body weight, where else 28% were overweight. Further studies on this topic can •

add to the existing knowledge and since both studies only recruited their sample from one

college, the present study can complement their research fmdings.

1.2..3. Obesity and PersonalitY,,:

Body weight is an important aspect which is fundamental in determining almost'eVery aspect of

human lives. As the body weight increases, the risk of getting diseases will increase. It is not

only predisposed to the diseases, the way of live also will change according to the body weight

status. Though obesity is commonly associated with physical health aspect of our lives, its

contribution in variety psychological aspects such as identity formation, wel1-being, and

perception are undeniable (Angelina et aI, 201 J).

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r Obesity is not only associated with one syndrome or disease, but it is associated with many

syndromes or diseases or problems that unintentionally leading it to be an important factor which

affecting nearly every aspect of human lives. More studies need to be done and more knowledge

need to be obtained regarding obesity and its associated factors in order to understand more

regarding obesity. Besides the demographic, environmental and diseases associated with obesity,

the psychological part of it need to be taken into account too for better understanding of obesity_

For example, personality traits was shown to have consistent effect associated with the

controllable behaviours that lead to obesity (provencher et aI., 2008), and has an effect on

adiposity even after controlling the known demographic and genetic factors (Terracciano et a1.,

2009).

• Due to the importance ofpersonality traits in obesity, many studies were done in the past to look

for an association between obesity and personality traits. However, there is a relative

contradiction on the results of the studies done in the past regarding the personality traits among

obese people. For examples, so~e studies showed that there were no difference in personality

traits between obese and' non-obese (O'Neil & Jarrel, 1992; Crisp et aI., 1976 & Leon & Roth,

1977). Where else, latest studies showed the opposite, such as the study done by Fassino et a1.

(2002), who noted that obese women are more irascible, impulsive, passive, insecure, nervous

and frail. Other study done by Palme and Palme (1999) found out that obese women were more

antisocial and anxiety prone. Similarly, BMI was associated with increased neuroticism and

reduced extraversion in women, but increase extraversion and psychoticism in man (Faith et aI,

2001).

13