1. ^*Institute of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Montreal, Quebec, Canada;
2. ^†School of Psychology, Montreal, Quebec, Canada;
3. ^‡Division of Kinesiology, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Laval University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada;
4. ^§Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; and
5. Eating Disorders Treatment Program, CHUL, CHUQ, Laval University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Correspondence: Simone Lemieux Institute of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods, 2440, Hochelaga Blvd., Laval University, Québec, Québec, Canada, G1K 7P4. E-mail: simone.lemieux@aln.ulaval.ca

^*The costs of publication of this article were defrayed, in part, by the payment of page charges. This article must, therefore, be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

Received 24 February 2006; Revised  00; Accepted 30 October 2006.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the effects of a "Health-At-Every-Size" (HAES) intervention on eating behaviors and appetite ratings in 144 premenopausal overweight women.

Research Methods and Procedures: Women were randomly assigned to one of the 3 groups: HAES group, social support (SS) group, and control group (N = 48 in each group). Interventions were conducted over a 4-month period, and measurements were taken before and after this period. Eating behaviors (cognitive dietary restraint, disinhibition, and susceptibility to hunger) were evaluated by the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire. Appetite ratings (desire to eat, hunger, fullness, and prospective food consumption) were assessed by visual analogue scales before and after a standardized breakfast.

Results: More important decreases in susceptibility to hunger and external hunger were observed in the HAES group when compared with the SS group (p = 0.05, for susceptibility to hunger) and the control group (p = 0.02 and p = 0.005, for susceptibility to hunger and external hunger, respectively). In addition, women from the HAES group had more important decreases in postprandial area under the curve for desire to eat (p = 0.02) and hunger (p = 0.04) when compared with the control group. The change in the desire to eat noted in the HAES group was also different from the one observed in SS group (p = 0.02). Women from the HAES group experienced significant weight loss at 4 months (-1.6 2.5 kg, p < 0.0001), which did not differ significantly from the SS and control groups (p = 0.09). An increase in flexible restraint was significantly related to a greater weight loss in both HAES and SS groups (r = -0.39, p < 0.01; and r = -0.37, p < 0.05, respectively). A decrease in habitual susceptibility to disinhibition was also associated with a greater weight loss in HAES and control groups (r = 0.31, p < 0.05; and r = 0.44, p < 0.05, respectively).

Discussion: These results suggest that a HAES intervention could have significant effects on eating behaviors and appetite ratings in premenopausal overweight women, when compared with an SS intervention or a control group.