We're almost there...two more chapters, and we'll be into the "Theory of Treatment" for what Dr. David Kessler, in The End of Overeating, titles "conditioned hypereating." Welcome to the continuing group read of Kessler's book. Tonight we're on Ch. 34, "Warning Signs In Children."
WHEE (Weight, Health, Eating and Exercise) is a community support diary for Kossacks who are currently or planning to start losing, gaining or maintaining their weight through diet and exercise or fitness. Any supportive comments, suggestions or positive distractions are appreciated. If you are working on your weight or fitness, please -- join us! You can also click the WHEE tag to view all diary posts.
Edward Spurlock started the Kessler series. You can read his take on Ch. 33 here, with links to previous installments.
But before getting to the chapter, here are the
Scheduled WHEE diaries that I know of:
December 23
Weds AM - ???
Weds PM - Edward Spurlock
December 24
Thur AM - Creekobear
Thur PM - ???
December 25
Fri AM - ???
Fri PM - ???
December 26
Sat AM - ???
Sat PM - Edward Spurlock (Kessler, Ch. 35)
December 27
Sunday AM - ???
Sunday PM - louisev
December 28
Monday AM - NC Dem
Monday PM - ???
December 22
Tues AM - ???
Tues PM - Clio2 (Kessler, Ch. 34) ???
Please appoint yourself diarist for one of the open blocks...just let us know by replying to the tip jar. Same goes if we skipped or dropped you accidentally from the schedule.
Double gold stars to anyone who rushes in where angels fear to tread and blogs Christmas Day on food and health!
OK, Kessler has described conditioned hypereating as a self-sustaining habit brought on by a combination of factors. First and foremost, the wide availability of cheap, "highly palatable" foods, made literally addictive to the susceptible among us by pumping up the fat, salt and sugar. Add to that the continuing stimuli of large portion sizes, advertising, and habit, and a fair percentage of us can and do experience a loss of control. We find ourselves on an eating treadmill we can't seem to get off.
How early in life does this happen?
Apparently young kids generally have a pretty robust homeostatic system that tells them when they've consumed enough. Feed them something high-calorie at one meal, or even a sticky sugary drink, and they automatically eat somewhat less at the next meal. Apparently their bodies know how much they need to stay healthy and keep growing.
They tend lose this unconscious safety valve as they grow older.
There is a place called the Children's Eating Laboratory at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. (The peacock array of specialized psychology studies never ceases to amaze me.) There a researcher named Susan Johnson tried seeing what would happen when kids got a sugary fruit-flavored drink -- or a no-calories version that tasted similar.
After having the sugary drink, the kids would even out their consumption by eating less at the next meal. How much less? Five-year-olds ate less by an amount equal to 80% of the soft drink calories. Eight-years-olds, compensated for about 60% of the extra calories. Eleven-year-olds, 30%. Their ability to compensate was becoming tattered.
Nature or nurture?
Things have also changed over time.
In her own studies, Johnson sees three- and four-year-olds who are able to pack in very large meals, sometimes consuming as much as 800 calories in one sitting...."I did not see this kind of behavior in the past," she commented. "Fifteen years ago I would have said with great confidence that preschoolers compensate. But in studies we hve been doing of late, I see an incredible amount of disregulatory behavior...I never saw children who ate and ate and ate until you finally had to cut them off and say, 'You're done.'"
Another study at Temple University's Center for Obesitey Research and Education showed that some 3 to 5 year old children were more vulnerable to overeating. Some children ate more than others when served double portions of macaroni and cheese. The same children ate more when offered snacks after a full meal.
"Large portions may constitute an 'obesigenic' environmental influence for preschool aged children..." concluded the authors.
It seems likely the same environmental factors that hook adults on conditioned hypereating are tattering the natural homeostatic mechanism of compensation at earlier and earlier ages.
Footnote -- an update: I've been on a "Kessler/Wansink" diet I worked out for myself for about 4 months now. It involves, basically, staying away as much as posible from hyperpalatable foods, plus carefully watching environmental inluences that trigger overeating. Progress was fast the first two months. It slowed in the second two months and the scalle has been bobbling around in the same neighborhood for about the last 4 weeks.
This may be as far as I can go with this method. Not insignificant: weight loss of about 17.5 pounds without counting calories or exercising my behind off! Also, lost cravings for hyperpalatable foods. In fact, what I eat and drink is simply not terribly interesting to me any more -- except coffee ;-). I'm still about 6 pounds overweight according to the one-size-fits-all BMI, which is probably itself a bit too high for my maximum well-being. This suggests that Kessler's thesis has definite merit, yet may account for only a portion of the excess weight being carried about by a portion of overweight people. No specific plans, so far, to do anything different in the New Year...except not gain it back!