Impact of Experimentally Induced Cognitive Dietary Restraint on Eating Behavior Traits, Appetite Sensations, and Markers of Stress during Energy Restriction in Overweight/Obese Women

Abstract

Weight loss has been associated with changes in eating behaviors and appetite sensations that favor a regain in body weight. Since traditional weight loss approaches emphasize the importance of increasing cognitive dietary restraint (CDR) to achieve negative energy imbalance, it is difficult to untangle the respective contributions of energy restriction and increases in CDR on factors that can eventually lead to body weight regain. The present study aimed at comparing the effects of energy restriction alone or in combination with experimentally induced CDR on eating behavior traits, appetite sensations, and markers of stress in overweight and obese women. We hypothesized that the combination of energy restriction and induced CDR would lead to more prevalent food cravings, increased appetite sensations, and higher cortisol concentrations than when energy restriction is not coupled with induced CDR. A total of 60 premenopausal women (mean BMI: 32.0 kg/m2; mean age: 39.4 y) were provided with a low energy density diet corresponding to 85% of their energy needs during a 4-week fully controlled period. At the same time, women were randomized to either a condition inducing an increase in CDR (CDR+ group) or a condition in which CDR was not induced (CRD− group). Eating behavior traits (Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire and Food Craving Questionnaire), appetite sensations (after standardized breakfast), and markers of stress (Perceived Stress Scale; postawakening salivary cortisol) were measured before (T = 0 week) and after (T = 4 weeks) the 4-week energy restriction, as well as 3 months later. There was an increase in CDR in the CDR+ group while no such change was observed in the CDR− group (p=0.0037). No between-group differences were observed for disinhibition, hunger, cravings, appetite sensations, perceived stress, and cortisol concentrations. These results suggest that a slight increase in CDR has no negative impact on factors regulating energy balance in the context of energy restriction.

Food Liking but Not Wanting Decreases after Controlled Intermittent or Continuous Energy Restriction to ≥5% Weight Loss in Women with Overweight/Obesity

“…Therefore, it could be hypothesized that the maintenance of the changes in food reward and food cravings could be due to the maintenance of the “healthier” dietary habits during the WL maintenance. This hypothesis is supported by two other weight management studies [ 46 , 47 ] in which food cravings decreased during WL and then were maintained during weight stabilization. Consequently, in the current study, it can be suggested that the control and restriction over food during the intervention might have contributed, in addition to the personal WL goal, to decrease the liking for food.…”

Gender Differences in the Relationships between Perceived Stress, Eating Behaviors, Sleep, Dietary Risk, and Body Mass Index

“…Even though perceived stress is positively associated with dietary risk, and restrained eating is negatively associated with dietary risk, these singular relationships do not indicate a mediation effect [ 66 ]. A body of literature suggests that restrained eating is associated with overeating and higher dietary risk [ 77 , 78 , 79 ], and that restrained eaters are more likely to respond to stress by consuming highly palatable foods [ 80 ]. The discrepant results between this study and the work of others might be explained by the lack of relationship between perceived stress and restrained eating in our study sample.…”

The Psychology of Food Cravings: the Role of Food Deprivation

“…Yet, findings from all other studies are in line with the meta-analytical results by Kahathuduwa and colleagues [ 52 •] as food cravings decreased during the caloric restriction period. These decreases seem to occur primarily during the first weeks of caloric restriction and do not seem to rebound at later follow-up measurements [ 60 , 62 , 63 ].…”

“…These decreases seem to occur primarily during the first weeks of caloric restriction and do not seem to rebound at later follow-up measurements [ 60 , 62 , 63 ].…”