EFFECTS OF FALSE WEIGHT FEEDBACK ON MOOD, SELF-EVALUATION, AND FOOD-INTAKE IN RESTRAINED AND UNRESTRAINED EATERS

Restrained and unrestrained eaters were weighed 5 Ib (2.27 kg) heavier or 5 Ib lighter than their actual weight or were not weighed at all. Unrestrained eaters and restrained eaters who were told they weighed 5 Ib less were not affected by the false weight feedback. However, rest rained eaters who were informed that they weighed 5 Ib more reported l ower self-esteem, less positive moods, and more negative moods than di d restrained eaters in the other 2 conditions. Furthermore, restrained eaters who were led to believe that they weighed heavier ate signific antly more food during a subsequent ''taste test'' than did each of th e other groups. Restrained eaters who believed that they were heavier experienced lowered self-worth and a worsening of mood that led them t o relinquish their dietary restraint and overindulge in available food . Implications for patients with eating disorders are discussed.