Factors Associated with Weight Status, Weight Loss and Attrition

Abstract

This thesis presents four studies which explore factors associated with weight status, weight loss and attrition. The first and second studies, respectively, examine factors associated with weight loss and attrition. The third study utilises statistical methods to detect and correct for sample selection bias on expected weight loss outcomes and the final study examines risk and time preferences in relation to BMI. Overall we identify several variables exhibiting a significant relationship with weight loss and attrition. Further, we identify and correct for non-random sample selection and, in the final research chapter, find some evidence of a relationship between risk preferences and BMI. Whilst the four research chapters presented can be read independently, each chapter builds upon the findings of the previous studies to present a rich and comprehensive assessment of variables of interest, and throughout the thesis we build an increasingly sophisticated methodological approach to the evaluation of weight status, weight loss and attrition. Our research allows for the identification of potential intervention-generated-inequalities, which are of particular importance for both the continuous development of weight management services and policy. For the first time within the current literature we complement a rich, comprehensive assessment of weight management services with sophisticated quantitative methodological approaches and concepts prevalent in the behavioural economics literature but which have rarely been utilised in studies of obesity. Finally, we evidence a requirement to control for sample selection in economic assessments of weight management services to ensure unbiased estimates within cost-benefit and return-on-investment analyses.