Obesity, dieting, and the expression of "obese" characteristics.

Obese,normal, and underweight college-age subjects were divided into sub-groups of dieters and nondieters. Consumption following a preload was found to vary as a function of dieting, not obesity, with dieters exhibiting the "obese" response (absence of caloric compensation) irrespective of weight classification. Similarly, elevated levels of free fatty acids, normally found in the obese, were associated with dieting rather than obesity per se. Implications of these findings for current theories of obesity are discussed.