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Desire to Eat High-and Low-Fat Foods Following a Low-Fat Dietary Intervention
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Desire to Eat High-and Low-Fat Foods Following a Low-Fat Dietary Intervention

Frederick G Grieve and Mark W Vander Weg
Journal of nutrition education and behavior, Vol.35(2), pp.98-104
2003
DOI: 10.1016/S1499-4046(06)60046-8
PMID: 12725716

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Abstract

This study examined changes in desires to eat high-fat and low-fat foods across an obesity treatment program. The hypotheses under examination were (1) preferences for low-fat foods would increase across time and (2) preferences for high-fat foods would decrease across time. Single-group, prospective examination of desires to eat 48 foods, categorized according to fat content, before and after the 16-week treatment program. University clinic, Memphis, Tennessee. 118 obese (mean weight = 194.4 lbs) women (mean age = 45.24 years) participating in an obesity treatment program. A 16-week cognitive-behavioral program for obesity. Desires to eat 48 foods varying in fat content and whether or not participants actually ate these foods. Analysis of variance, multiple regression, and paired t tests. The results indicate that during the program, preferences for low-fat foods increased, whereas preferences for high-fat foods decreased. These changes mirrored the changes in consumption of both low-fat and high-fat foods. Within a behavioral economic perspective, the reinforcement value of low-fat foods may increase following a low-fat dietary intervention, whereas the reinforcing properties of high-fat foods may decline. This is desirable as low-fat foods hold many advantages over high-fat foods in terms of weight maintenance.
weight loss behavioral economics obesity food preferences

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