Elsevier

Appetite

Volume 72, 1 January 2014, Pages 156-165
Appetite

Research report
Behavioural strategies to control the amount of food selected and consumed☆☆

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2013.09.015Get rights and content
Under a Creative Commons license
open access

Highlights

  • Factors linked to the selection and intake of large amounts of food were explored.

  • 32 behavioural strategies to control the amount of food selected and consumed were identified.

  • Strategies were evaluated as feasible and useful in weight management.

  • Frequent use of strategies discriminated non-overweight from overweight individuals.

Abstract

Several factors within the food environment may stimulate overconsumption. The present study aimed to (1) identify behavioural strategies to cope with this environment to control the amount of food consumed, (2) examine the feasibility and usefulness of the strategies, and (3) evaluate the association between the strategies and body mass index (BMI). After the literature was screened for evidence of factors that contribute to the consumption of large amounts of food, 32 behavioural strategies were identified to overcome these influences (study 1). Subjectively reported feasibility and usefulness of the 32 behavioural strategies in weight management were explored using a pretest post-test study (study 2: n = 52). Additionally, two cross-sectional questionnaire studies (study 3a: n = 120 and study 3b: n = 278) were conducted to evaluate the association between the 32 behavioural strategies and BMI. The strategies were subjectively reported as feasible and useful in weight management. Frequent use of strategies discriminated non-overweight from overweight individuals, but did not discriminate overweight from obese individuals. In conclusion, the findings provided preliminary evidence for the acceptability and validity of the strategies. The effectiveness of the strategies for controlling the amount consumed should be further investigated, especially in overweight and obese participants.

Keywords

Behavioural strategies
Energy intake
Overweight
Food intake

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Funding: This study was funded by ZonMW, the Dutch Institute for Research in Health Care (project number: 121020019).