Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 30, 2026

Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice
Published on: June 5, 2016
Dieting, perceived deprivation, and preoccupation with food
Gayle M Timmerman1, Elizabeth K Gregg
1School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin, USA. gtimmerman@mail.utexas.edu
Abstract:
A prospective study using 14-day food diaries was conducted to determine whether perceived deprivation and preoccupation with food correspond to actual caloric and fat intake, using a sample of 121 adult women who were binge eating without purging or were currently dieting. Caloric and fat intake were not significantly related to perceived deprivation. Only weight cycling and Revised Restraint Scale was significantly correlated with perceived deprivation with 11% of the variation explained by the Revised Restraint Scale scores. These findings support the contention that psychological deprivation occurs regardless of caloric intake. For preoccupation with food, only fat intake and Revised Restraint Scale scores were significantly correlated with 15% of the variance explained by the Revised Restraint Scale scores.
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