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Eating in the absence of hunger: A recipe for expanding waistline

Compulsive snacking is another leading cause of weight gain

Date:
June 25, 2015
Source:
Queensland University of Technology
Summary:
Snacking when you're not hungry can cause weight gain as much as overly large portion sizes and energy-rich foods, a researcher reports.
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A QUT researcher has had an article on how compulsive snacking is a major cause of weight gain published in the international journal Eating Behaviors.

Dr Stephanie Fay wrote the article entitled "Psychological predictors of opportunistic snacking in the absence of hunger" as part of her PhD undertaken at QUT's Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation and it has also been included in the Elsevier Research Selection e-newsletter for distribution to science media worldwide.

"Eating too frequently, especially when we're not hungry, is a major potential cause of weight gain," said Dr Fay.

"Excessive portion size and energy-dense foods are often blamed for weight gain but the frequency of eating is a significant contributor too. Some people are more inclined to be susceptible to reward gained from foods.

"This study conducted by QUT investigated what would happen when we offered volunteers a chocolate snack right after they'd had as much as they wanted of a similar snack food.

"We also explored what might differentiate people who accepted the additional snack, despite not being hungry, from those who said they'd had enough.

"Three-quarters of the people involved, who were unexpectedly offered a second chocolate snack immediately after being given as much they wanted of another chocolate snack food, ate that one too.

"Contrary to expectations, those who took the snack were better at inhibitory control, indicating that they were making a conscious decision. However, those who ate the most of the extra snack were more impulsive, and more responsive to food reward. They were also heavier (with a higher BMI), which suggests that repeated snacking in the absence of hunger is a risk factor for weight gain."


Story Source:

Materials provided by Queensland University of Technology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Cite This Page:

Queensland University of Technology. "Eating in the absence of hunger: A recipe for expanding waistline." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 25 June 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150625112012.htm>.
Queensland University of Technology. (2015, June 25). Eating in the absence of hunger: A recipe for expanding waistline. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150625112012.htm
Queensland University of Technology. "Eating in the absence of hunger: A recipe for expanding waistline." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150625112012.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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