Food Cravings

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

• Frequently Asked Questions

Currently, over 60% of Americans are either overweight or obese. According to the Pew Research Center, 25% of Americans are in the process of dieting and, on average, dieters are 29 pounds heavier than they'd like to be. You expect to be hungry when you cut calories. Do these cravings continue when the weight is lost?

Data from the CALERIE (Comprehensive Assessment of the Long-term Effects of Restricting Intake of Energy) trial demonstrated that food cravings associated with dieting do indeed persist. (Gilhooly CH, Das SK, Golden JK, et al. Food cravings and energy regulation: the characteristics of craved foods and their relationship with eating behaviors and weight change during 6 months of dietary energy restriction. International Journal of Obesity; advance online publication, 26 June 2007; doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0803672) Thirty-two overweight but otherwise healthy women, between the ages of 20 and 42, were assigned to two diets. The two diets differed in their glycemic load. Glycemic index is a measurement of how quickly carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels. Participants completed questionnaires assessing what foods they craved, the frequency and strength of the food cravings, and how often the cravings lead to eating the desired food. At the start of the study, 91% of the participants reported having food cravings, which are defined as an intense desire to eat a specific food. After 6 months of dieting, 94% reported cravings.

There is a popular assumption that dieters crave carbohydrates. Data from this study indicate that participants crave calories rather than sugar per se; the individuals in this study desired calorically dense foods - not necessarily carbohydrates. Cravings included foods that contained sugar plus fat, such as chocolate, and salty snacks, like potato chips and French fries.

In this study, participants who lost the most weight craved calorie dense foods to a greater degree than those who lost less weight. However, they also gave into the cravings less frequently.

Food cravings are a fact of life, especially if you are dieting. In the beginning of a diet program, it is natural for your body to crave calories. Even after you lose weight, if you continue to restrict calories, expect to still have the desire for certain foods. Maintaining weight loss requires ongoing lifestyle changes. In the end, having a small amount of what you desire appears to be more effective than simply trying to ignore the craving and deny yourself the food. Exercise portion control and give in to your sweet tooth sparingly.

• Links Between Food Cravings, Types Of Cravings, And Weight Management
• Chart: Percent who are currently dieting
• In the Battle of the Bulge, More Soldiers Than Successes
• Images of desire: food-craving activation during fMRI.
• 70 percent of dieters go solo, with no doctor, survey finds