title: Cognitive and weight-related correlates of flexible and rigid restrained eating behaviour.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Examine the association between components of restrained eating, cognitive performance and weight loss maintenance.
  
  
  METHODS
  106 women, all members of a commercial slimming organisation for at least 6 months (mean±SD: 15.7±12.4 months), were studied who, having lost 10.1±9.7 kg of their initial weight, were hoping to sustain their weight loss during the 6 month study. Dietary restraint subcomponents flexible and rigid restraint, as well as preoccupying cognitions with food, body-shape and diet were assessed using questionnaires. Attentional bias to food and shape-related stimuli was measured using a modified Stroop test. Working memory performance was assessed using the N-back test. These factors, and participant weight, were measured twice at 6 month intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rigid restraint was associated with attentional bias to food and shape-related stimuli (r=0.43, p<0.001 resp. r=0.49, p<0.001) whereas flexible restraint correlated with impaired working memory (r=-0.25, p<0.05). In a multiple regression analyses, flexible restraint was associated with more weight lost and better weight loss maintenance, while rigid restraint was associated with less weight loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rigid restraint correlates with a range of preoccupying cognitions and attentional bias to food and shape-related stimuli. Flexible restraint, despite the impaired working memory performance, predicts better long-term weight loss. Explicitly encouraging flexible restraint may be important in preventing and treating obesity.
authors.affiliation: Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, Germany. joachim@westenhoefer.de
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Westenhoefer
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holst
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peacock
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stubbs
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Whybrow
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raats
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D057190:Stroop Test; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult