Dietary restraint and control over wanting following consumption of forbidden food

Abstract

Eating behavior can be influenced by the rewarding value of food, i.e., liking and wanting. The objective of this study was to assess in normal-weight dietary restrained (NR) vs. unrestrained (NU) eaters how rewarding value of food is affected by satiety, and by eating a nonhealthy perceived, dessert-specific food vs. a healthy perceived, neutral food (chocolate mousse vs. cottage cheese). Subjects (24NR age = 25.0 ± 8.2 years, BMI = 22.3 ± 2.1kg/m2; 26NU age = 24.8 ± 8.0 years, BMI = 22.1 ± 1.7kg/m2) came to the university twice, fasted (randomized crossover design). Per test-session liking and wanting for 72 items divided in six categories (bread, filling, drinks, dessert, sweets, stationery (placebo)) was measured, before and after consumption of chocolate mousse/cottage cheese, matched for energy content (5.6kJ/g) and individual daily energy requirements (10%). Chocolate mousse was liked more than cottage cheese (P < 0.05). After consumption of chocolate mousse or cottage cheese, appetite and liking vs. placebo were decreased in NR and NU (P < 0.03), whereas wanting was only decreased in NR vs. NU (P ≤ 0.01). In NR vs. NU wanting was specifically decreased after chocolate mousse vs. cottage cheese; this decrease concerned especially wanting for bread and filling (P < 0.05). To conclude, despite similar decreases in appetite and liking after a meal in NR and NU, NR decrease wanting in contrast to NU. NR decrease wanting specifically for a nonhealthy perceived, delicious, dessert-specific food vs. a nutritional identical, yet healthy perceived, slightly less delicious, neutral food. A healthy perceived food may thus impose greater risk for control of energy intake in NR. © 2010 The Obesity Society.