Selective carbohydrate or protein restriction: Effects on subsequent food intake and cravings
Abstract
In order to determine the effects of selective food restriction on subsequent food intake and cravings, participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: carbohydrate-restriction, protein-restriction, or control (no restriction). Participants in the restriction conditions were asked to restrict their intake of either complex carbohydrates or animal proteins for 3 days, before coming to the laboratory for an experimental session. During the experimental session, participants' food intake, cravings, and affect were measured. The results indicated that selective food restriction resulted in selective behavioural consequences. Specifically, carbohydrate-restricted participants consumed more of a high-carbohydrate food than did controls or protein-restrictors, in addition to reporting more cravings for high-carbohydrate foods over the restriction period. Protein-restricted participants reported more cravings for high-protein foods over the restriction period, in comparison to controls and carbohydrate-restrictors; however, protein-restricted participants did not consume more of the particular high-protein food presented to them in the laboratory. The roles of dietary restraint and negative affect in influencing cravings and food intake are discussed. Overall, selective food restriction is demonstrated to have negative psychological and behavioural consequences.
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Highly restrictive diets can support short-term energy restriction and weight loss but have been associated with higher food cravings and attrition over time, although that may be modulated by individual characteristics.
“Energy balance may also be influenced by dietary restraint: Highly restrictive diets can support short-term energy restriction and weight loss but have been associated with higher food cravings and attrition over time, although that may be modulated by individual characteristics.64”
From Popular dietary patterns: alignment with American Heart Association 2021 dietary guidance: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. (2023) · cites this paper as [64]
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- Authors
- Coelho, J. S., Polivy, J., & Herman, C. P.
- Affiliations
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Coelho, Jennifer S.
- Venue
- Appetite
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2006-11
- Volume
- 47
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 352-360
- ISSN
- 0195-6663 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2094912351
- Cited by
- 43
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 2.95
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Appetite (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- American Psychological Association
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Dietary Effects on Health
- Keywords
- carbohydrate restriction, protein restriction, food cravings, dietary intake, dietary restraint, negative affect, high-carbohydrate foods, protein-rich foods, eating behaviour
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Appetite, Dietary Carbohydrates, Dietary Proteins, Eating, Feeding Behavior, Female, Humans, Predictive Value of Tests, Surveys and Questionnaires, Taste, Time Factors, Reproducibility of Results, Diet Records, Body Mass Index, Diet, Protein-Restricted, Diet, Carbohydrate-Restricted
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