Association of cognitive restraint with ghrelin, leptin, and insulin levels in subjects who are not weight-reduced

Abstract

Despite widespread efforts at weight loss, the prevalence of obesity continues to rise. Restrained eating is a pattern of attempted weight control characterized by cognitive restriction of food intake that has paradoxically been linked with overeating and/or weight gain. It is not known whether restrained eating is associated with abnormalities in appetite-regulating hormones, independent of its effects on body weight. To address this question, we assessed cognitive restraint using the ThreeFactor Eating Questionnaire and obtained fasting measurements of ghrelin, leptin and insulin from 24 healthy, nonobese (body mass index (BMI) 19.7 to 29.6 kg/m 2 ) adult subjects who were at a stable, lifetime maximum weight. We chose to study subjects at stable maximum weight to avoid the secondary effects of weight reduction on body weight-regulating hormones. Subjects were classified by cognitive restraint scale score into Low, Indeterminate, and High Restraint groups. Higher ghrelin levels were significantly associated with restraint in an unadjusted model (P = 0.004) and after adjustment for BMI (P = 0.007). No relationships were found between restraint scores and either leptin (P = 0.75) or insulin (P = 0.36). These findings show an orexigenic hormonal profile in restrained eaters, independent of changes in body weight.

Stress-Induced Release of Eating-Related Hormones in Young Women Classified as Restrained and Unrestrained Eaters

“…Our results on baseline differences in ghrelin are comparable to the findings of Schur et al [7]. The differences might be psychobiologically determined.…”

Ghrelin Plasma Levels Are Not Altered in Major Depression

“…The vast majority of patients reported reduced appetite, suggesting rather low levels of appetite-inducing ghrelin. In contrast, healthy subjects with restrained eating patterns and increased appetite were found to have elevated plasma levels [36] . However, in the present study, ghrelin levels in patients were not lower than in healthy controls.…”

Increase in cognitive eating restraint predicts weight loss and change in other anthropometric measurements in overweight/obese premenopausal women

“…Moreover, adiponectin was found to have a negative association with disinhibition in women of varied BW status (Blundell et al, 2008). These patterns may be specific to overweight and obese women who are losing BW, as an inconsistent relationship between restraint and appetitive hormones has been shown in one other study involving weight-stable individuals (Schur, Cummings, Callahan, & Foster-Schubert, 2008). Future studies should continue to explore the nature of eating behaviors and appetitive hormones across the spectrum of BW stability and change.…”