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Updated: Feb 17, 2026

Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System
Published on: May 8, 2018
Instrumentalization of Eating Improves Weight Loss Maintenance in Obesity
Bodil Just Christensen1, Eva Winning Iepsen, Julie Lundgren
1Institute of Food and Resource Economics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Aim:
The purpose of this study was to identify psychosocial determinants for maintaining weight loss.
Methods:
42 obese individuals who achieved a 12% weight loss before entering a 52-week weight maintenance program were interviewed qualitatively. Psychosocial factors related to weight loss maintenance were identified in two contrasting groups: weight reducers and weight regainers. Groups were defined by health-relevant weight maintenance (additional weight loss > 3% at week 52, n = 9 versus weight gain > 3%, at week 52, n = 20).
Results:
Weight reducers reported structured meal patterns (p = 0.008), no comfort eating (p = 0.016) and less psychosocial stress (p = 0.04) compared to weight regainers. The ability to instrumentalize eating behavior emerged as an important factor (p = 0.007). Nutritional knowledge, motivation or exercise level did not differ between groups (p > 0.05).
Conclusions:
Successful weight loss maintenance was associated with an interplay between behavioral, affective and contextual changes. 'Instrumentalization of eating behavior' seems to be an important element in long-term weight maintenance.
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