Obsessive thoughts about food and compulsive eating are related to poorer physical and psychological health, as well as inadequate coping styles and problematic eating behaviours leading to difficulties in body-weight regulation (Bryant et al, 2007; Spoor et al, 2007). The Eating Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (EOCS) is an instrument that examines both obsessive and compulsive aspects of eating. This study explores, among a sample of overweight/obese women, whether obsessive thoughts about food and compulsive eating are related to body weight, problematic eating behaviors, and coping strategies, as well as to changes in those variables following an intervention. Sixty-eight overweight/obese women were tested before and after an intervention based either on a non-restrictive approach encouraging a higher intake of fruits and vegetables (HIFV), or a restrictive approach limiting high-fat foods (LOFAT). Baseline scores on the EOCS were positively related to rigid restraint (p<.01), disinhibition (p<.001), susceptibility to hunger (p<.001), binge eating (p<.001) as well as emotion-oriented coping (p<.01). High baseline scores on the EOCS were also significantly associated with a smaller improvement in binge eating after the intervention for both groups (p<.01). In fact, among all the variables correlated with the changes in binge eating scores throughout the intervention, the EOCS score was the only significant predictor as determined by a stepwise linear regression (p=.001). Results emphasize the importance of addressing both obsessive (cognitive) and compulsive (behavioural) aspects of eating when treating overweight/obese women, especially in regard to their impact on the evolution of binge eating.

Background/Objectives: To compare the effects of two dietary approaches on changes in dietary intakes and body weight: (1) an approach emphasizing nonrestrictive messages directed toward the inclusion of fruits and vegetables (HIFV) and (2) another approach using restrictive messages to limit high-fat foods (LOFAT). Subjects/Methods: A total of 68 overweight–obese postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to one of the two dietary approaches. The 6-month dietary intervention included three group sessions and ten individual sessions with a dietitian. Dietary food intake and anthropometric variables were measured at baseline, at 3 months and at 6 months. Results: Energy density decreased in both groups after the intervention compared with baseline (HIFV, −0.3±0.2 kcal/g; LOFAT, −0.3±0.3 kcal/g; P <0.0001). Although body weight decreased significantly in both groups after the intervention compared with baseline (HIFV, −1.6±2.9 kg; LOFAT, −3.5±2.9 kg; P <0.0001), women in the LOFAT group lost significantly more body weight than women in the HIFV group ( P =0.01). In the HIFV group, the decrease in energy density was found to be an independent predictor of body weight loss. Conclusions: The LOFAT approach induces more weight loss than does the HIFV approach in our sample of overweight–obese postmenopausal women.