“Problem” Foods: Does Moderation Work?
When it comes to “problem foods,” can people really eat in moderation?
Yes. Maybe. Not always, for everyone.
In other words…
It depends!
In a study at Penn State University, researchers asked 186 women who they classified as “overweight” or “obese” to rank the “foods you can’t resist and find hard to stop eating.”
The foods that most frequently topped the participants’ lists:
Ice Cream 🍨
Chips 🥨*
Chocolate 🍫
Cookies 🍪
Pizza 🍕
[* Sorry, Pretzels, we didn’t have a chip emoji!]
You probably didn’t need a study to tell you that.
But then the scientists went a step further.
They had participants follow a 12-month weight loss program and monitor their strategies for managing these problem foods.
The result: Overall, the total avoidance of problematic foods—what you often see on “extreme” diets or “quick-fix” weight loss plans—wasn’t an effective strategy.
What did help?
Limiting the portion sizes of problem foods was strongly related to weight loss.
Participants who used this strategy the most lost nearly double the weight as those who used it the least (15.8 pounds versus 8.3 pounds).
The chart below shows common “problem food” strategies that the participants used. The size of the bubble relates to how frequently people use the strategy.
So what can we take away from this study?
1. Most people know their problem foods.
But asking someone to identify them officially can help improve awareness and reveal patterns.
And that can lead to more effective behaviors for managing our intake.
First, you can do what the study participants did: Make a list.
But for deeper insights, let me know if this is something you'd like to target specifically with your coaching.
It’ll help you better understand your challenges and assist you in finding solutions to control your "triggers."
2. Tasty foods are likely to be eaten.
While this study doesn’t support “avoiding” foods, our practical experience working with clients says a person’s environment does matter.
Because if your kitchen or office is filled with your problem foods, it can be… a real problem.
No matter how much willpower you have, it’s natural to grab the easiest and most tempting food options, especially when you’re tired, stressed, or ravenous.
So it’s helpful to remember the following:
If food is in your house or possession, you, someone you love, or someone you marginally tolerate will eventually eat it. This “law” doesn’t just pertain to problem foods.
It also applies to the foods we should eat frequently.
I encourage you to get those foods you're trying to eat more of prepped and ready-to-eat—so they’re as convenient as packaged snacks.
Or put another way…
► Peeled orange slices > unpeeled orange
► Washed berries > unwashed berries
► Sliced bell pepper > whole pepper
None of the above require an entire Sunday afternoon of food prep. But a little effort ahead of time can lead to substantially better choices.
Source: Roe LS, Rolls BJ. Which strategies to manage problem foods were related to weight loss in a randomized clinical trial? Appetite. 2020 Aug 1;151:104687.