Introduction to Psychology 10th Edition by Rod Plotnik,Haig Kouyoumdjian

Exercise 13

Can Personality Explain Obesity?
About two of every three American adults are overweight or obese. Peter Herida is one of the very few who is medically defined as "super massive morbid obese." As a 10-12-yearold child, Peter already weighed 179 pounds. At age 46, his weight reached an astonishing 863 pounds (pictured at right). His grocery bill was nearly $400 a week, and he ate over 3,000 calories at each meal. Peter took 14 different medications four times a day because of the lifethreatening health damage caused by his extreme morbid obesity. Some of Peter's medical problems included heart failure, diabetes, and difficulty breathing during sleep. He became so heavy he could not walk, which resulted in him being housebound for 20 years. His mobility became so limited that a trip to the doctor's office required a wheelchair van, two fire truck crews, and one ambulance crew to transport him. During one doctor's visit, Peter was told that unless he took radical measures to lose weight quickly, he would die soon. Peter chose to undergo gastric bypass surgery, a risky procedure that promised to make his stomach smaller so he would feel full after eating much less food. His doctor warned him that because of his weight and health problems, the operation carried a 60% chance of death. So, when Peter woke up after surgery, he promised himself, "I'm going to try and make this thing work, as I now was given a second chance at life!" (Herida, 2003). Peter knew the operation was the easy part and the challenging part would be to make long-term lifestyle changes. After not having moved his body for 20 years, Peter spent his first 3 months learning how to walk again. He exercised and dieted for years afterward. At age 49, he swims a mile a day and works out daily. His health improved so much he takes only two medications a day compared to the 14 he took before. He is no longer a diabetic, he sleeps without difficulty breathing, and his heart is functioning better. Peter's efforts helped him to lose a whopping 560 pounds during the first 10 months after surgery. His selfesteem skyrocketed and he rewarded himself by purchasing his dream car, a mintcondition 1982 Mercedes sedan, which he says "beats the heck out of a wheelchair van and emergency vehicle motorcade" (Herida, 2005). Peter became a motivational speaker to encourage others to strive to reach their potential just as he did.
Question
Does Peter have a food addiction?