Effect of Hunger on Weight Status and Weight Change: Multiple Cross-Sectional and Prospective Studies

Introduction: The association of hunger and weight status or weight change is unclear. We aimed to assess the cross-sectional and prospective associations between hunger levels and weight status and change.

Two surveys (2014-2017 and 2018-2021) from a prospective, population-based study were conducted in Lausanne, Switzerland. Ecological momentary assessments were used to assess hunger.

There were 700 participants from the first survey (54.7% women, 60.6 ± 9.4 years), 40.4% with healthy weight, 38.9% overweight, and 20.7% with obesity. The corresponding values for the second survey (N = 775, 53.3% women, 65.1 ± 8.8 years) were 39.6%, 39.5%, and 20.9%. Participants with obesity had a smaller variation of hunger levels during the day (range 4.15 ± 0.08 vs. 4.38 ± 0.08 and 4.27 ± 0.07 vs. 4.35 ± 0.07 for participants with obesity and participants with healthy weight, respectively, in the first and second surveys, p for trend <0.05). Inconsistent associations were found regarding average or median hunger levels: for average: 2.35 ± 0.05, 2.34 ± 0.04, and 2.26 ± 0.06, p = 0.468 for participants with normal, overweight, and obesity, respectively, in the first survey and 2.38 ± 0.04, 2.39 ± 0.04, and 2.16 ± 0.06, p = 0.002, in the second survey. No association was found between hunger levels and abdominal obesity or between hunger levels and weight change after a 3.8-year follow-up.

Participants with obesity show a lower variability in hunger levels than healthy weight participants. Hunger levels are not associated with 3.8-year weight gain.