Emotional' Eaters Most Likely To Regain Lost Weight

new study led by researchers at The Miriam Hospital’s Weight Control & Diabetes Research Center finds that dieters who have the tendency to eat in response to external factors, such as at festive celebrations, have fewer problems with their weight loss than those who eat in response to internal factors such as emotions. The study also found that emotional eating was associated with weight regain in successful losers.

The study is published in the October 2007 issue of Obesity.

“We found that the more people report eating in response to thoughts and feelings, such as, ‘when I feel lonely, I console myself by eating,’ the less weight they lost in a behavioral weight loss program. In addition, amongst successful weight losers, those who report emotional eating are more likely to regain,” says lead author Heather Niemeier, Ph.D.

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I always find this sort of thing interesting and don't know where I fit. I'm likely to not eat if I am upset, to withdraw and allow myself to sick. I usually overeat because I'm "hungry' . . . feel empty or unsatisfied on some level. I usually lose weight when I'm in a new relationship and then regain it when the relationship gets distant.