Effects of suppressing thoughts about body weight: A comparison of dieters and nondieters

Concurrent visuo-spatial processing reduces food cravings in prescribed weight-loss dieters

“…We found that both techniques successfully reduced food cravings. This supports previous research that has found a reduction in food cravings using either a thought suppression (Harnden et al, 1997;Oliver & Huon, 2001) or working memory paradigm (Kemps et al, 2004. Moreover, thought suppression and dynamic visual noise reduced cravings for both weight watchers and non-dieters.…”

“…Thought suppression offers one possible technique. For example, Harnden, McNally, and Jimerson (1997) showed that suppression of weight-related thoughts reduced the frequency of such thoughts in dieters, although the magnitude of suppression was less than that for non-dieters. Likewise, Oliver and Huon (2001) found that high disinhibitors were more successful in suppressing thoughts about food and eating than low disinhibitors.…”

Validation of the Food Thought Suppression Inventory

“…Existing research indicates that the outcomes of thought suppression have been demonstrated experimentally with individuals attempting to suppress food-related thoughts (Dejonckheere, Braet, & Soetens, 2003;Smart & Wegner, 1999). Research suggests differential outcomes for individuals depending on their dieting status and weight, for example, thought suppression appears to be more difficult for healthy weight dieters compared to healthy weight nondieters (Giannopoulos, 2001;Harnden, McNally, & Jimerson, 1997;O'Connell, Larkin, Mizes, & Fremouw, 2005). Similar research found that thought suppression resulted in the rebound effect in obese dieting adolescents but not in participants who were obese nondieters or healthy weight, regardless of dieting status .…”

“…Attempting to avoid unwanted thoughts about eating or weight may not only result in increases of unwanted thoughts (Harnden et al, 1997) but also increases in food-seeking behaviors (Johnston, Bulik, & Anstiss, 1999) and even increased eating for certain populations. Researchers determined that purposely attempting to suppress thoughts of food resulted in increased food-related thoughts, regardless of participants' weight, and increased food intake in dieting overweight/obese participants but not for healthy weight dieters (Pop, Miclea, & Hancu, 2004).…”

Singular and Combined Effects of Thought Suppression and Anxiety Induction on Frequency of Threatening Thoughts: An Experimental Investigation

“…suppression "rebound" effect has since been replicated by several investigators using different experimental methods (Clark, Ball, & Pape, 1991;Clark, Winton, & Thynn, 1993;Harnden, McNally, & Jimerson, 1997;Harvey & Bryant, 1998); however, other studies have failed to replicate this effect (Belloch, Morillo, & Giménez, 2004;Janeck & Calamari, 1999;McNally & Ricciardi, 1996;Purdon & Clark, 2001;Smári, Birgisdóttir & Brynjólfsdóttir, 1995).…”