Change in Food Cravings, Food Preferences, and Appetite During a LowCarbohydrate and Low-Fat Diet

Corby K. Martin, Diane Rosenbaum, Hongmei Han, Paula J. Geiselman, Holly R. Wyatt, James O. Hill, Carrie Brill, Brooke Bailer, Bernard V. Miller III, Rick Stein, Sam Klein and Gary D. Foster

Yuen Wai Lee 2/27/2013

Introduction
Food craving is an intense desire to consume a particular food that is difficult to resist. Food cravings and desire for foods can contribute to the failure to comply with weight loss diets.

Purpose

To determine the long-term effects of prescribing a low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) and a low fat diet (LFD) on changes in food cravings, food preferences, and appetite ratings.

Hypothesis
Promoting the restriction of specific food would result in larger decreases in cravings and preferences for those foods The LCD group would report less hunger compared with the LFD group Changes in hunger would be associated with changes in food cravings.

Participants

307 participants recruited Age 1865 years old BMI 30-40 kg/m2 Only 270 participants data (88%) were included
Exclusion criteria : chronic disease and use of medication, smoking, vegan, substance abuse, pregnancy or lactating.

Method- Weight loss diet

Participants were randomly assigned to follow LCD or LFD Low Carbohydrate Diet Primary target: limit carbohydrate intake Limit to 20 g/day during the first 3 months. Gradually increase 5g /day/week. Unlimited consumption of fat and protein

Method- Weight loss diet

Low Fat Diet Primary behavioral target was to limit energy intake Women and men were prescribed 1,200 1,500 and 1,5001,800 kcal/day diets 30% kcal from fat, 15% from protein, and 55% from carbohydrate.

Method- Comprehensive behavioral treatment

Foster dietary adherence. Weekly, biweekly and bimonthly group sessions. Treatment included strategies to promote adherence, including stimulus control, self-monitoring, and relapse prevention.

Method -Food-Craving Inventory

Rate frequency of cravings over the past month. Consists of four scales (sweets, high-fats, carbohydrates/starches and fast-food fats). Measure every 3 months.

Method -Food Preference Questionnaire

Assesses preferences for 72 foods in a 2 by 3 matrix. Rate each food on a 9-point Likert scale by rating how much they like each food. Used to measure preference for foods that participants were instructed to restrict.

Method- Appetite ratings

Visual analogue scales were used to measure subjective ratings of appetite. Done every 3 months.

Results
Levels of food cravings at baseline are similar among different food and diet groups. Baseline food preference scores were similar among the LCD and LFD groups. Site did not influence outcome.

Results

Results Food preference change

Results Food preference change

Results -Change in hunger ratings

Results - correlation analyses

No differences in weight loss between groups. Greater weight loss was associated with larger reductions in cravings.

Discussion
Promoting the restriction of specific foods while dieting causes decreased cravings and preferences for those foods. Dietary monotony is not necessary in food craving reduction.

Future studies
Effects of dieting on appetite. Enroll more males

Critiques
Did not include participants macronutrient intake Did not have in-patient controlled feeding

END