The relationship between restrained eating, pleasure associated with eating, and well-being re- visited
Previous works by Appleton & McGowan (2006) stated that eating pleasure plays a key role in correlating eating restraint and overall well-being. In this study by Remick et al. (2009), the authors used questionnaires to reassess the consistency of the relationship between eating pleasure and eating restraint and how this relationship can impact well-being. The observed results showed substantial links between eating restraint and well-being, with higher eating restraint scores linked to lower scores of self-clarity (i.e., confidence of one’s own attributes), life satisfaction and higher neuroticism (i.e., an individual’s experience of their surrounding environment/the world as threatening, risky or stressful). In agreement with previous literature, pleasure was also found to play an important role in regulating self-clarity and neuroticism through its relationship with eating restraint. Further analysis of the results demonstrated that individuals with higher levels of eating pleasure and eating restraint had the lowest levels of self-clarity and highest levels of neuroticism, with a reversal of this pattern seen in individuals with high levels of eating pleasure and low levels of eating restraint. The authors conclude that their study further validates the key role pleasure plays in regulating the links between eating restraint and well-being. [NPID: Restrained eating, pleasure, life satisfaction, self-concept clarity, neuroticism, food]
Year: 2009
