Tang Wai-yee. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 51-61). / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

There is increasing evidence that aspects of human eating may be 'addictive'. Much of the existing literature examining this focuses on specific foods or individual pathologies of 'addiction'. Qualitative research methods, in particular content analysis, offers a rich opportunity to better understand 'addictive' aspects of human eating through the stories shared by those who have experienced compulsive eating. This research examines two different organizations that use storytelling as a tool for changing eating behaviours. Overeaters Anonymous (OA) and Weight Watchers (WW) began in the United States in the early 1960s as mutual support groups designed to help members with problems of compulsive overeating. This research examines: 1) the ways that OA and WW addressed 'addictions' with food when they were first formed; 2) how each organization has changed over time; and 3) the ways that identities are constructed through the telling of stories within each programme. For this thesis, I used historical analysis, in-person and online participant observation, and content analysis as research methods. I found that while OA and WW once similarly addressed 'addictions' with food, this is no longer the case. WW no longer understands their members as fundamentally different from others in the ways that they eat, and OA now welcomes members with a variety of different compulsive eating behaviours. However, similar themes regarding identity emerged from the OA and WW stories used in this research. OA and WW members describe that they acquire different belief systems regarding health and how to eat in each programme. In comparing these two organizations, how each has changed over time and the shifts in identity described by OA and WW members, this research identifies aspects of everyday living that members of both groups similarly highlight as important factors influencing compulsive eating. Based on these findings, I then assess to what extent a new framework for understanding 'addiction' may be needed, and conclude by suggesting further areas of research that would be suitable for constructing this.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is more recently being recognized as a lifetime disorder that continues to affect individuals into their adult lives. Recent research studies have found connections between ADHD and overweight/obesity. The current study was designed to further explore these relationships and better understand the connections between these two constructs among 340 college students. It was hypothesized that the ADHD symptoms (i.e., inattention and impulsivity) would positively predict depressive symptoms, which in turn would predict emotional/binge eating and lead to overweight/obesity. Additionally, it was hypothesized that impulsivity would predict substance use, which would predict emotional/binge eating and also predict overweight/obesity. The model was tested and exhibited excellent fit. ADHD positively predicted depressive symptoms, which in turn positively predicted emotional/binge eating and led to overweight/obesity. Further, ADHD symptoms also positively predicted substance use, which in turn predicted emotional/binge eating and led to overweight/obesity. All paths were statistically significant and findings suggest there are at least two paths that connect ADHD symptoms and overweight/obesity in adults. The current results are of importance to practicing clinicians because they provide increased clarity and depth regarding the connections and relationship between symptoms of ADHD and overweight/obesity.

by Wong Yun Ping. / Questionnaries in English and Chinese. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 69-82). / ABSTRACT --- p.i / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.iv / LIST OF APPENDICES --- p.v / Chapter CHAPTER I - --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter CHAPTER II - --- METHOD --- p.22 / Chapter CHAPTER III - --- RESULTS --- p.26 / Chapter CHAPTER IV - --- DISCUSSION --- p.52 / REFERENCE --- p.69 / APPENDICE --- p.83

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Obesity is a substantial threat to the health of over a third of adults in the United States. Some evidence suggests that food attentional bias, or the tendency to automatically direct attention toward food-related stimuli in the environment, may contribute to the development of obesity in susceptible individuals. This study hypothesized that (1) food attentional bias would be positively associated with adiposity, (2) food attentional bias would be positively associated with energy intake and external eating, and (3) energy intake and external eating would partially mediate the association between food attentional bias and adiposity. Data were collected from a sample of 120 undergraduate students. Three measures of food attentional bias were obtained: reaction time bias obtained from a visual dot-probe task and direction bias and duration bias obtained from eye tracking. Adiposity indices of body mass index (kg/m2) and body fat percent were measured using standard medical devices. Data were obtained for two mediators: 1) energy intake was assessed by web-based automated 24-hour dietary recall and 2) external eating was assessed using the External Eating Subscale of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Separate linear regression models examining the association between each measure of food attentional bias with each measure of adiposity (adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and subjective hunger) indicated no associations. Similarly, linear regression analyses revealed no associations between measures of food attentional bias and energy intake or external eating. Models testing for statistical mediation demonstrated that energy intake and external eating were not significant mediators. However, mediation analyses demonstrated a significant overall effect and direct effect between direction bias and BMI in a reduced sample used to test for energy intake as a mediator, suggesting the presence of an association which may not have been detected in the larger sample due to methodological issues, measurement error, or type I error. Despite the overall null results, these findings, in conjunction with previous studies on food attentional biases and adiposity, highlight the need for future investigations examining prospective associations between food attentional bias and adiposity.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / In order to elucidate the role of classical conditioning in food and alcohol co-consumption, the present study examined: (1) the effects of alcohol odor cues on alcohol and food cravings and attentional bias (bias in selective attention toward either food or alcohol pictures relative to neutral pictures); and (2) the role of alcohol odor cue elicited cravings and attentional biases on subsequent consumption. Participants (n = 77; mean age = 30.84, SD = 9.46; 51.9% female, 83.1% Caucasian) first completed the lab portion of the study. In this portion, they were exposed to alcohol and neutral odorants, after which their food and alcohol cravings and attentional bias were assessed. Participants then received an online survey the next day, on which they reported their level of food and alcohol consumption following the lab portion of the study. Using repeated measures analysis of covariance, alcohol odor cues were differentially effective in increasing food and alcohol attentional bias and cravings (Fs= 0.06 to 2.72, ps= 0.03 to 0.81). Using logistic and multiple regressions, alcohol odor cue elicited alcohol attentional bias, food attentional bias, and food cravings were associated with later alcohol consumption, but not with later food consumption or concurrent consumption (βs = -0.28 to 0.48, ps = 0.02 to 0.99; Exp(B)s = 0.95 to 1.83, ps = 0.33 to 0.91). Overall, alcohol odor cues can become conditioned stimuli that elicit conditioned food-related and alcohol-related responses, both of which persist long enough to motivate later alcohol consumption; however, these conditioned responses might not persist long enough to motivate later food or concurrent consumption. These findings serve as a first step in clarifying the role of classical conditioning in concurrent consumption. In particular, they suggest that additional empirical investigations are needed to: (1) clarify the classical conditioning mechanisms underlying concurrent consumption; and (2) examine whether interventions targeting classical conditioning mechanisms are effective for reducing alcohol use.