Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Nutrients. 2019 Jun 18;11(6):1365. doi: 10.3390/nu11061365.
Environmental factors such as food availability and variety can function as cues for overeating in individuals susceptible to overweight or obesity, but relatively little is known about other types of environmental factors that may also be important. This qualitative study compared and contrasted categories of internal and external cues through focus groups and key informant interviews with 24 adults (26 to 77 years old) in the United States who had a body mass index within the healthy range (21.6 ± 2.5 kg/m) or had overweight or obesity (29.1 ± 3.6 kg/m). Five domains of external factors influencing food intake were identified: (a) Environmental cues including food availability and variety; (b) normative expectations for dietary intake; (c) food palatability; (d) overt social pressures to overeat; and (e) perceived social expectations around eating. All external domains were noted by participants with overweight or obesity to be challenging, and solutions to avoid overeating were lacking; however, overt social pressures and perceived social expectations appeared to be especially problematic. By explicitly defining different domains of external factors that challenge healthy weight regulation, this study identifies specific targets to address in interventions for healthy weight management.
环境因素，如食物的可获得性和种类，可以作为易超重或肥胖个体暴饮暴食的线索，但人们相对较少了解其他可能也很重要的环境因素。这项定性研究通过焦点小组和关键知情人访谈，比较和对比了美国 24 名成年人（26 至 77 岁）的内部和外部线索类别，这些成年人的体重指数在健康范围内（21.6±2.5kg/m）或超重或肥胖（29.1±3.6kg/m）。确定了影响食物摄入的五个外部因素领域：（a）环境线索，包括食物的可获得性和种类；（b）饮食摄入的规范期望；（c）食物的美味性；（d）明显的过度进食的社会压力；以及（e）对进食的感知社会期望。超重或肥胖的参与者都注意到所有外部领域都具有挑战性，并且缺乏避免暴饮暴食的解决方案；然而，明显的社会压力和感知的社会期望似乎尤其成问题。通过明确界定挑战健康体重调节的外部因素的不同领域，本研究确定了健康体重管理干预措施中需要解决的具体目标。
