Perceived deprivation, restrained eating and susceptibility to weight gain.

Perceived deprivation describes a feeling of not eating what or as much as one would like, despite being in energy balance. This construct was previously found to correlate with the Restraint Scale in obese binge eaters and current dieters [Timmerman, G. M., & Gregg, E. K. (2003). Dieting, perceived deprivation, and preoccupation with food. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 25(4), 405-418]. The current study examined perceived deprivation and restraint in 66 normal weight college females with no history of eating disorders. Perceived deprivation was significantly correlated with restraint generally and with dietary concern in particular; this relationship was due to perceived limits on what, rather than how much, food was eaten. This relationship may have important implications for understanding the motivation underlying restrained eaters' aberrant eating behaviors and the nature of their susceptibility to weight gain.