Shaona Sengupta Bidita Bhattacharya and Partha Sarathy Biswas
GGDC, Singur, West Bengal Institute of Psychiatry, Kolkata
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat accumulates to the extent that it
has an adverse effect on health. Researchers have proved thatobesogenic environments,
cognitive factors are critical determinants of eating behavior and the risk of obesity.
The objective of the study is to differentiate between obese and non-obese adults in
terms of impulsivity and set shifting ability.60 individuals age rangingfrom 20-40 years,
participated in the study, thirty in each group (obese and non-obese), divided on the
basis of body mass index (BMI). StroopColour Word Test and Wisconsin Card Sorting
Test were used for assessment of impulsivity and set shifting ability. Findings reveal
that obese individuals had more impulsivity. Obese females differed significantly from
non-obese females, in terms of set shifting, indicating deficit in cognitive flexibility and
feedback utilization. However, male obese individuals do not differ significantly from the
non-obese males. Thus they may be less affected by these factors in comparison to
female counterparts. Present study would contribute to identify cognitive factors related
to obesity, which needs to be addressed for its treatment..
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