A multiple factor study of body weight control

A multiple factor approach toward body weight regulation was proposed which uses elements of self-perception theory to integrate seemingly unrelated or conflicting findings on the etiology of human obesity. Four factors--cue responsiveness, incidence of eating related to emotional distress, dietary restraint, and activity level--were hypothesized to influence the likelihood of obesity, with eating style being the most important variable. The existence of subgroups--normal weight and overweight individuals differing with respect to eating style, emotional-distress-related eating, dieting, and activity level--were proposed. In experimental tests on 90 Ss, predictions about the relationship of independent variables to obesity and the existence of subgroups of obese and normal weight individuals received support.