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Personality and Body Mass Index in U.S. Military Veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study

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Abstract

The relationship between the “Big 5” personality dimensions and body mass index (BMI) were examined in a nationally representative sample (National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study) of male and female U.S. military veterans. Multivariable analyses were conducted to evaluate gender-specific associations between personality factors and BMI. Among male veterans, greater extraversion was associated with higher BMI, (β = 0.18), while lower conscientiousness (β = −0.18), agreeableness (β = −0.18), and emotional stability (β = −0.17) were associated with lower BMI. Among female veterans, only greater consciousness was associated with lower BMI. These associations were robust to effects of age, physical activity, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The “Big 5” personality dimensions are differentially associated with BMI in male and female veterans. While conscientiousness was associated with lower BMI in both male and female veterans, three additional personality dimensions were linked to BMI in male veterans. Implications of these findings for obesity management are discussed.

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Contributors

ES conducted data analysis and drafted the manuscript. LE and RP contributed to interpretation of the results and revising the manuscript. All authors approved the final version.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Elina A. Stefanovics, Laurie M. Edwards & Robert H. Pietrzak

  2. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs New England Mental Illness, Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA Connecticut Healthcare System (116A-4), 950 Campbell Avenue, Bld 36, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA

    Elina A. Stefanovics

  3. Connecticut Mental Health Center (CMHC), New Haven, CT, USA

    Laurie M. Edwards

  4. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA

    Robert H. Pietrzak

Authors
  1. Elina A. Stefanovics
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  2. Laurie M. Edwards
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  3. Robert H. Pietrzak
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Correspondence to Elina A. Stefanovics.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Stefanovics, E.A., Edwards, L.M. & Pietrzak, R.H. Personality and Body Mass Index in U.S. Military Veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Psychiatr Q 92, 917–923 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-020-09878-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-020-09878-4

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