Hunger, temptation, and dietary adherence during weight management

Area of Science:

• Behavioral science
• Obesity research
• Dietary interventions

Background:

• Preliminary evidence links hunger and temptation to dietary nonadherence.
• No studies have examined the interaction between hunger and temptation on dietary nonadherence.
• The impact of hunger and temptation on adherence post-intervention is unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine week-to-week associations between hunger, temptation, and dietary adherence.
• To investigate the interaction between hunger and temptation regarding dietary nonadherence.
• To determine if these associations differ between active intervention and post-intervention periods.

Main Methods:

• 74 adults with overweight/obesity participated in a 12-week internet-based weight loss program and a 40-week follow-up.
• Participants rated hunger, temptation, and dietary adherence weekly on 7-point scales.
• Multilevel models were used to analyze the data.

Main Results:

• Higher hunger and temptation were associated with lower dietary adherence (p < 0.0001).
• A 1-point increase in hunger or temptation correlated with a 0.2- or 0.5-point decrease in adherence, respectively.
• An interaction showed temptation's link to nonadherence was stronger with lower hunger (p = 0.028).

Conclusions:

• Hunger and temptation are significant factors influencing dietary adherence.
• These factors may be valuable targets for weight management interventions.
• Interventions targeting hunger and temptation could improve adherence and weight loss outcomes.