Dieters Who Eat In Response To Emotions Versus
Social Situations, Lose Less And Regain More
November 9, 2007
Just in time for the start of the holiday eating season -- a new study finds
that dieters who have the tendency to eat in response to external factors, such
as at festive celebrations, have fewer problems with their weight loss than
those who eat in response to emotions (internal factors). Led by researchers at
The Miriam Hospital's Weight Control & Diabetes Research Center, the study
also found that emotional eating was associated with weight regain in successful
losers.
The study is published in the October 2007 issue of Obesity.
"We found that the more people report eating in response to thoughts and
feelings, such as, 'when I feel lonely, I console myself by eating,' the less
weight they lost in a behavioral weight loss program. In addition, amongst
successful weight losers, those who report emotional eating are more likely to
regain," says lead author Heather Niemeier, Ph.D., of The Miriam Hospital's
Weight Control & Diabetes Research Center and The Warren Alpert Medical
School of Brown University.
This is important, the authors note, because one of greatest challenges facing
the field of obesity treatment remains the problem of weight regain following
weight loss.
"Participants in behavioral weight loss programs lose an average of 10
percent of their body weight and these losses are associated with significant
health benefits. Unfortunately, the majority of participants return to their
baseline weight within three to five years," Niemeier says.
In this study, researchers analyzed individual's responses to a questionnaire
widely used in obesity research called the Eating Inventory. The Eating
Inventory is a clinical tool that is designed to assess three aspects of eating
behavior in individuals -- cognitive restraint, hunger, and disinhibition.
Specifically, Niemeier and her team focused on the disinhibition component of
the Eating Inventory because although past studies have suggested that
disinhibition as a whole is an accurate predictor of weight loss, the scale
itself includes multiple factors that could independently forecast outcomes.
"The disinhibition scale evaluates impulsive eating in response to
emotional, cognitive, or social cues. Our goal was to examine and isolate the
factors that make up the disinhibition scale, and then determine if these
factors have a specific relationship to weight loss and regain," says
Niemeier.
Participants in the study included two groups of individuals. The first group
consisted of 286 overweight men and women who were currently participating in a
behavioral weight loss program. The second group included 3,345 members of the
National Weight Control Registry (NWCR), an ongoing study of adults who have
lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for at least one year.
"By examining these two very different sample groups, we were able to
assess the effect of disinhibition on individuals attempting to lose weight, as
well as on those who are trying to maintain weight loss," the authors note.
Upon examination, the researchers found that the components within the
disinhibition scale could be grouped into two distinct factors -- external and
internal disinhibition.
External disinhibition describes experiences that are external to the individual
such as, "When I am with someone who is overeating, I usually overeat,
too" and "I usually eat too much at social occasions, like parties and
picnics". Internal disinhibition refers to eating in response to thoughts
and feelings that are internal to the individual and includes emotional eating
such as, "When I feel lonely, I console myself by eating" and
"While on a diet, if I eat a food that is not allowed, I often splurge and
eat other high calorie foods".
Results showed that in both groups of participants, internal disinhibition was a
significant predictor of weight over time. For participants in the weight loss
program, the higher the level of internal disinhibition, the less weight an
individual lost over time. The same was true for maintainers in the NWCR in that
internal disinhibition predicted weight regain over the first year of registry
membership.
"Interestingly, external disinhibition did not predict weight loss or
regain in either sample at any time," notes Niemeier.
In addition, the authors note that internal disinhibition predicted weight
change over time above and beyond other psychological issues including
depression, binge eating, and perceived stress.
"Our results suggest that we need to pay more attention to eating triggered
by emotions or thoughts as they clearly play a significant role in weight loss.
Current treatments provide minimal assistance with eating in response to
feelings or thoughts," says Niemeier.
She adds, "Modifying our treatments to address these triggers for unhealthy
eating and help patients learn alternative strategies could improve their
ability to maintain weight loss behaviors, even in the face of affective and
cognitive difficulties."
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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
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In addition to Niemeier, the research team consisted of Suzanne Phelan, Ph.D.;
Joseph L. Fava, Ph.D.; and Rena R.Wing, Ph.D.; of the Weight Control and
Diabetes Research Center at The Miriam Hospital and The Warren Alpert Medical
School at Brown University.
This research was funded by a grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and
Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health.
The Miriam Hospital, established in 1926 in Providence, RI, is a
not-for-profit hospital affiliated with The Warren Alpert Medical School of
Brown University. Nationally recognized as a top hospital in cardiovascular
care, The Miriam Hospital (http://www.miriamhospital.org/)
offers particular expertise in angioplasty, stroke care and women's cardiac
care. One of 18 designated Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) sites, The Miriam is
a leader in the treatment, research and prevention of HIV/AIDS. The hospital's
Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine attracts over $17 million in
research funding annually, studying the leading lifestyle causes of disease
burden and death with an emphasis on weight control, physical activity and
smoking cessation. The Miriam Hospital has been awarded Magnet Recognition for
Excellence in Nursing Services three times and is committed to excellence in
patient care, research and medical education. The Miriam is a founding member of
the Lifespan health system.
Source: Megan Martin
Lifespan
Medical News Today: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
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