Journal des troubles nutritionnels et de la thérapie

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"Food Offerings": A Major Factor Impeding Adherence with Weight Loss Diets in Overweight and Obese Individuals

Reza Rastmanesh and Marci E Gluck

The effect of food offerings and other impeding factors on dietary adherence with weight loss and their relationship to self-esteem was examined. 2496 overweight and obese dieting males and females were recruited from aerobic health clubs in Tehran and completed a battery of questionnaires. Respondents rated 7 impeding factors to dietary adherence on a 5-point (0-4) Likert scale and completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Participants were categorized as successful weight losers (73%) and weight regainers (27%). Weight regainers were most impeded by food offerings, low calorie dietary recommendations, lack of vigilance with regard to weight control, use of eating to regulate mood, and failure to achieve weight goal. Successful weight losers were most impeded by dissatisfaction with weight achieved, failure to achieve weight goal, and lack of dietary preferences. Moreover, successful weight losers were more than three times more likely to reject a food offering while dieting (p<0.001) and scored significantly higher on the measure of self-esteem compared to weight regainers (p<0.0001). The acceptance of food offerings was the most influential impeding factor to adherence with weight loss diets in a group of weight regainers. Moreover, the acceptance of food offerings was related to lower self-esteem. Findings from this study suggest that helping patients, change responses to food offerings and other socially motivating reinforcers as well as improving selfesteem should be featured components of behavioral weight loss interventions.