Reasons for initiation and cessation of eating in obese men and women and the affective consequences of eating in everyday situations

Reasons for the initiation and termination of eating were investigated in 78 female and 36 male obese subjects following a weight control programme. Self-monitoring diaries were completed during a 24-h period, in which subjects selected the main reason for starting and stopping an eating episode. Additionally, subjects recorded mood before and after eating using visual analogue scales. Hunger was chosen as a reason to start eating in only 20% of cases. Environmental cues such as mealtime were selected as the main reason for the initiation of the majority of eating episodes. In contrast, self-assessments such as "I felt I had eaten enough" was the main reason for terminating eating (39.4%). Gender differences in the reasons for initiating eating revealed a greater tendency for men to initiate eating for environmental reasons than women, whereas the opposite was found for the termination of eating, with women more likely to stop eating for environmental reasons than men. Changes in affect during eating revealed a significant decline in negative emotions such as tension and tiredness. and in the heavier subjects a trend for increased happiness was observed following eating. As hunger was less commonly reported as a reason to start eating than external reasons, treatment strategies for the obese might benefit by targeting individual reasons for meal initiation. (C) 1998 Academic Press Limited.