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Are dietary restraint scales valid measures of acute dietary restriction? Unobtrusive observational data suggest not
Abstract
The finding that dietary restraint scales predict onset of bulimic pathology has been interpreted as suggesting that dieting causes this eating disturbance, despite the dearth of evidence that these scales are valid measures of dietary restriction. The authors conducted 4 studies that tested whether dietary restraint scales were inversely correlated with unobtrusively measured caloric intake. These studies, which varied in foods consumed, settings, and populations, indicated that common dietary restraint scales were largely uncorrelated with acute caloric intake. Results suggest that these scales are not valid measures of short-term dietary restriction and imply that it may be prudent to reinterpret findings from studies thai use these scales, including those that suggest dietary restraint is a risk factor for bulimic pathology.
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“Although this scale correlates with self-reported caloric intake, like all dietary restraint or dieting scales, it does not correlate with objectively measured caloric intake (e.g., Ouwens et al., 2003; Stice, et al., 2004).”
From Caloric deprivation increases responsivity of attention and reward brain regions to intake, anticipated intake, and images of palatable foods (2013) · cites this paper as Stice, et al., 2004
In the citing paper
“This scale has shown internal consistency (α’s range from .93 to .95) and temporal reliability (2-week test-retest r = .82; Stice, et al., 2004; van Strien et al., 1986).”
From Caloric deprivation increases responsivity of attention and reward brain regions to intake, anticipated intake, and images of palatable foods (2013) · cites this paper as Stice, et al., 2004
In the citing paper
“The present findings may also explain why people who attempt to diet do not typically succeed per objective measures of caloric intake (e.g., Hetherington et al., 2000; Stice et al., 2004; Sysko et al., 2007).”
From Caloric deprivation increases responsivity of attention and reward brain regions to intake, anticipated intake, and images of palatable foods (2013) · cites this paper as Stice et al., 2004
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Chapter 2. Eating Problems in Adults
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Chapter 6. Eating-Related Pathology in Men and Boys
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Chapter 9. Self-Report Assessments of Eating Pathology
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Chapter 14. Treatment of Binge Eating, Including Bulimia Nervosa and Binge-Eating Disorder
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Chapter 3. Eating Problems in Children and Adolescents
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Chapter 12. Application of Modern Technology in Eating Disorder Assessment and Intervention
Ellison, J. M., Wonderlich, S. A., & Engel, S. G. (2015) · American Psychiatric Association Publishing eBooks · doi:10.1176/appi.books.9781615378609.lg12
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Chapter 1. Classification of Eating Disorders
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Chapter 7. Eating Problems in Special Populations: Cultural Considerations
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Chapter 15. Treatment of Other Eating Problems, Including Pica and Rumination
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Park, Y., Epel, E. S., & Mason, A. E. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/med/9780197688908.003.0004
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Cross-Cultural Testing of Dietary Restraint
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Metadata
- Authors
- Stice, E., Fisher, M., & Lowe, M. R.
- Affiliations
- The University of Texas at Austin (US)
- Venue
- Psychological Assessment
- Published
- 2004
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 51-59
- ISSN
- 1040-3590 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-134X
- OpenAlex
- W2147837561
- Cited by
- 364
- References
- 80
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 45 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 18.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Assessment (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5r01mh050271-03)
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH 01708, MH064560, MH 50271, K01MH001708, R01MH064560)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- dietary restriction, energy intake, scale validity, bulimia nervosa, dieting, eating disorders, unobtrusive measurement
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Bulimia, Energy Intake, Diet, Reducing, Female, Food Preferences, Humans, Middle Aged, Personality Assessment, Psychometrics, Social Environment, Students, Reproducibility of Results
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