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The Use of Environmental Cues to Reduce Obesity
Author(s) -
Thaw Andrew Kurt,
Redhead Megan
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.820.31
Subject(s) - sensory cue , weight loss , obesity , appetite , psychology , environmental enrichment , consumption (sociology) , developmental psychology , medicine , cognitive psychology , neuroscience , endocrinology , social science , sociology
Obesity and weight loss/management research is extensive. The vast majority of studies address the physiological or psychological mechanisms involved in the regulation of appetite and eating. Recently, researchers have begun to look at environmental factors that may be playing a role in our eating behaviors. Most of this research involves examining factors that promote excess calorie intake. It is becoming clear that we are often unaware of the impact environmental cues have on our eating behavior. Visual cues in particular seem to carry potent consumption signals. Thus, visual environmental cues may be useful in reducing food consumption as well. To examine the putative effect of visual cues on weight loss 40 college age students volunteered to participte in a weight loss study at Millsaps College. All subjects received the same individual counseling. Half of the subjects (matched with controls for total body weight) also received 20 highly visible, removable stickers (5cm × 10cm)to place around their environment. Over the 6 week test period experimental subjects lost significantly more weight than the control group. We conclue that the use of environmental cues may significantly enhance weight loss in adult subjects.