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Gender differences in the relation between food cravings and mood in an adult community: Results from the Fleurbaix Laventie Ville Santé Study
Author(s) -
Lafay Lionel,
Thomas Frédérique,
Mennen Louise,
Charles Marie Aline,
Eschwege Eveline,
Borys JeanMichel
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/1098-108x(200103)29:2<195::aid-eat1009>3.0.co;2-n
Subject(s) - feeling , mood , food craving , craving , psychology , food preference , food intake , indulgence , demography , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , medicine , psychiatry , social psychology , addiction , food science , chemistry , sociology , political science , law
Obejective The aim of this survey was to study food cravings and its indulgence in community adults (538 women and 506 men) and to compare nutritional parameters, weight preoccupations, and weight history between cravers and noncravers. Method Cravers experienced a strong urge to eat specific foods more than once a week during the past 6 months. Food intake was estimated by a 3‐day food record. Results 28% of women and 13% of men were food cravers. Cravers, especially women, were more frequently concerned about their weight than noncravers. Energy intake during snacks was higher in cravers. Less than 40% of cravers reported being hungry when they experienced cravings. Women cravers indulged their cravings as often as men. They reported more frequently negative feelings, whereas men reported more frequently positive feelings. Discussion This study shows that food craving episodes are strongly associated with mood but in a different way in women and men. © 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 29: 195–204, 2001.