Externality, dietary restraint and the cognitive control of eating

Abstract

In Chapter 2 we concluded that there is no precise physiological control over energy intake in relation to expenditure, and that external food-related cues can exert a strong influence on appetite. In the context of an environment where energy expenditure is low and food abundant, these features of the appetite control system predispose the individual to overeating and obesity. One of the ways that this tendency can be counteracted is by the deliberate control of food intake (Section 1.3.2). In the present Chapter we discuss dieting and dietary restraint in more detail. There is now a large body of research on this aspect of human eating behaviour. Paradoxically, however, many of these studies have implicated dieting as undermining eating control. Dieting is also a significant psychological stressor; for example, it is associated with depression and an impairment of cognitive performance (Goodwin et al., 1990; Cowen et al., 1992; Green & Rogers, 1995). Nevertheless, the cognitive control of food intake undoubtedly plays a critical role in the avoidance of weight gain and treatment of obesity.