Role of craving for carbohydrates upon completion of a protein-sparing fast

Pretreatment measures of craving for carbohydrates were related to higher dropout rates during the first month of a protein-sparing fast. 97 patients in a medically supervised weight-loss program, who were at least 50 pounds overweight, completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the Eating Inventory, and a questionnaire about their food habits before beginning a supplemented fast. While self-reported cravers of carbohydrates were significantly more likely to drop out during the first month of treatment than noncravers, this result does not appear to be related to differences in depression, disinhibition, or cognitive restraint.