| HOME | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
a Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts
Susan B. Roberts, Energy Metabolism Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, 711 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111 E-mail: SROBERTS{at}hnrc.tufts.edu.
Decision Editor: John E. Morley, MB, BCh
Background. Dietary restraint, a term used to describe the intentional control of food intake to prevent weight gain or promote weight loss, is commonly practiced by older adults, but little is known about its effects on physiology and metabolism.
Methods. We therefore compared a wide range of parameters between groups of healthy non-obese postmenopausal women classified psychometrically as unrestrained eaters (body mass index [BMI] 23.8 ± 0.6 [SEM] kg/m2, n = 28) or restrained eaters (BMI 24.5 ± 0.5, n = 39). Measurements were made of reported micronutrient intakes, cardiopulmonary function, hematology, body temperature, skin thickness, bone mass, and immune function; in addition, self-perceived health, mood, and some dimensions of eating behavior were assessed by questionnaire.
Results. Macronutrient and micronutrient intakes were not significantly different between restrained and unrestrained eaters reporting energy intake to within 30% of predicted total energy expenditure. Restrained eaters had significantly lower hemoglobin (12.9 ± 0.1 [SEM] vs 13.2 ± 0.1 g/dl; p < .05), but values were within the normal range in both groups. In addition, restrained eaters scored significantly higher on the Eating Attitudes Test (p < .01) and drive-for-thinness (p < .001) and maturity fears (p < .05) subscores of the Eating Disorders Inventory, but values were again within the normal range. No other parameter differed significantly between groups.
Conclusions. In this normal-weight population, restrained eating was not associated with detrimental effects in a wide range of physiological, metabolic, and health characteristics. Further work is needed to determine the relevance of these results to the general population.
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  N. P. Hays, G. P. Bathalon, R. Roubenoff, M. A. McCrory, and S. B. Roberts Eating behavior and weight change in healthy postmenopausal women: results of a 4-year longitudinal study. J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., June 1, 2006; 61(6): 608 - 615. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. A. Rideout, W. Linden, and S. I. Barr High cognitive dietary restraint is associated with increased cortisol excretion in postmenopausal women. J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., June 1, 2006; 61(6): 628 - 633. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. E. Morley Anorexia and Weight Loss in Older Persons J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., February 1, 2003; 58(2): M131 - 137. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. E. Morley Editorial: Citations, Impact Factor, and the Journal J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., December 1, 2002; 57(12): M765 - 769. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
N. P. Hays, G. P. Bathalon, R. Roubenoff, R. Lipman, and S. B. Roberts The Association of Eating Behavior With Risk for Morbidity in Older Women J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., February 1, 2002; 57(2): M128 - 133. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M.-M. G. Wilson Guest Editorial: Bitter-Sweet Memories: Truth and Fiction J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., April 1, 2001; 56(4): 196M - 199. [Full Text]
|
|
| HOME | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|---|
