Conflicts that accompany weight loss as indicated by the presence of anxieties and fears in individuals who have lost an uncontestably large amount of weight were investigated. Subjects (N=12) who had lost a minimum of 100 pounds in a medically supervised weight program were interviewed about the onset of obesity, concurrent personal conflicts, diet history, feelings concerning weight loss and subsequent changes in their lives. These subjects: (1) showed a strong tendency to have been overweight in childhood and were usually chronically obese by adolescence; (2) became obese often in conjunction with problems in sexual adjustment; (3) expressed ambivalent feelings about their weight loss; and (4) reported feelings of excitement and rebirth while, at the same time, expressed anxiety about the new possibilities that being thin represented. Results clearly indicate that the process of weight loss per se gives rise to a series of emerging problems that result in anxiety. The therapist or psychologist working with such patients must address these problems and help the patient identify and deal with the emerging anxiety to maximize the probability of maintaining the weight loss. (Author)