Association of body mass with dietary restraint and disinhibition.

The relationship of disinhibition and dietary restraint with body mass was studied in a sample of 293 women. Results suggested that higher body mass was associated with an interaction of disinhibition and dietary restraint. The association of disinhibition with higher body mass was moderated by increased dietary restraint. Symptoms of an eating disorder were more strongly associated with disinhibition than with dietary restraint. These results suggest that dieting may moderate the increased body mass associated with overeating. Psychological and eating problems associated with dietary restraint were found to be of less significance than those associated with disinhibition.