Food for thought: Examining the relationship between food thought suppression and weight-related outcomes

Effect of thought suppression on desire to smoke and tobacco withdrawal symptoms

“…This may be a chance finding due to multiple testing; however, that this result was demonstrated at all three time points suggests otherwise. Previous studies have reported that food-related thought suppression can result in increased subsequent eating (Erskine 2008;; furthermore, Barnes and Tantleff-Dunn (2010) report a study demonstrating associations between food thought suppression and higher food cravings. It is possible that suppressing thoughts of one appetitive behaviour (smoking) resulted in elevations in another (eating).…”

Assessing the roles of impulsivity, food-related cognitions, BMI, and demographics in the dual pathway model of binge eating among men and women

“…According to thought suppression theory, attempts to suppress thoughts often fail and are instead associated with increased unwanted thoughts (Wegner & Zanakos, 1994). Negative food-related cognitions (e.g., negative preoccupation on food, food thought suppression) are associated with binge eating, restraint, and shape and weight concerns (Barnes & Tantleff-Dunn, 2010;Barnes & White, 2010;Tapper & Pothos, 2010). Applying cognitive behavior theory, the dual-pathway model may be enhanced with food-related cognitions as an antecedent to binge eating.…”

“…Negative affect was measured with three scales: the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale -Short Form (Andresen, Malmgren, Carter, & Patrick, 1994), the five item Negative Affect subscale of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988), and the 20-item Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale (Zung, 1971). Food-related cognitions were measured with two scales: the 15-item Food Thought Suppression Inventory (Barnes & Tantleff-Dunn, 2010) and the 11-item Negative Thoughts subscale of the Food Preoccupation Questionnaire (Tapper & Pothos, 2010). Binge eating was measured with 11 items from the Eating Disorder Inventory -Bulimia Scale and the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale.…”

A functional contextual approach to obesity and related problems

“…Overweight and obese community-dwelling adults that endorsed higher levels of food thought suppression tended to also report more frequent binge eating, food craving, and other unhealthy eating-related behaviors [43]. In fact, food-related thought suppression may mediate the relationship between psychological stress and weight cycling in women [44].…”