Differential antianxiety response to caloric intake between normal and obese subjects

Obese subjects (N = 152) attending a weight reduction clinic and controls (N = 62) rated numerous aspects of their psychological state using analogue scales before and after a standard liquid meal. Prior to the meal, the only difference in psychological state between the groups was that the obese subjects had higher scores than controls on the questions relating to their self-perception of "fatness." Following the meal, the obese subjects, including some previously obese (now normal weight) subjects, reported a decrease in "anxiety" as reflected by significant changes in premeal to postmeal scores on 5 anxiety-related questions. Control subjects tested in two separate groups, one demographically matched and one nonmatched, did not experience this "antianxiety" effect, but reported postmeal increases in feelings of "fatness" and "sexual arousal" as compared with the obese subjects.