Cognitive restraint, weight suppression, and the regulation of eating

The role of cognitive restraint and weight suppression in the regulation of eating was investigated. Subjects high or low in cognitive restraint, and high or low in weight suppression, were given a milkshake preload and then tested for ice cream consumption. Cognitive restraint was measured with the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire. Weight suppression was defined as the difference between one's current weight and highest weight ever. Contrary to predictions, level of cognitive restraint was unrelated to amount of food eaten, whereas suppression was associated with a significant reduction in eating following the preload. Weight suppressors ate significantly less food than weight non-suppressors in spite of the fact that they weighed more than non-suppressors, were highly restrained, and had eaten significantly less than non-suppressors prior to coming to the study. It was suggested that weight suppressors in this study were for the most part successful dieters who showed several signs of having adapted to the lower weights they were maintaining.