According to a new study, people who integrate small amounts of pleasure food, such as desserts, in a balanced diet reduce their cravings and lose more weight than those that do not use this tactic.
The problem with cravings
“Fingers are a major problem for many peopleexplains in a statement Manabura Nakamura, professor of nutrition and co-author of this study (1). If they are frequent, it is very difficult to lose weight. Even when they manage to control their cravings and lose weight, if they return, they regain weight. »»
His study was part of a vast project carried out with doctors from the Carle clinic in Urbana, Illinois, aimed at expanding the scope of an individualized weight loss program (2). “We have recruited obese patients aged 18 to 75 who presented comorbidities such as hypertension and diabetes and who could benefit from weight loss.” he said.
A program based on nutritional education
The food program used in the study was to provide participants with nutrient information, to help them make informed decisions on their food choices until they manage to permanently modify their habits. For example, they used a data visualization tool graphically representing proteins, fibers and calories in food. During the first year, participants followed 22 online training sessions on nutrition. Then they were followed for an additional year.
The originality of this program is that he used an “inclusion strategy”: the participants had the possibility of integrating small portions of food which they wanted in a balanced meal. Every six months, they answered questions about their food desires, especially for foods rich in fat or from fast food (hot dogs, fried chicken, burgers, fries) or for sweets like cakes and cookies. They also had to weigh themselves every day and say if they recognized themselves in affirmations such that “I do not have the will necessary to resist my food desires”.
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30 people started the weight loss program, and the 24 who stayed at the end of the first year had lost an average of 7.9 % of their initial weight. Participants who had lost more than 5 % at the end of the study found a constant reduction in the frequency and intensity of their desires, unlike those who had lost less (see graph below). The team also found that the desire to eat certain foods like carbohydrates decreased during the year of weight loss and stabilized during the maintenance phase.
According to Alfouzan and Nakamura, Physiology & Behavior 2025.
How many pleasure food per day?
Of the 24 participants who stayed in the study for 12 months, more than half declared that they had used the inclusion strategy to manage their desires to eat, some people up to one to three times a day, while others used it once a week or more.
The researchers found that those who used this strategy have lost much more weight than the other participants (see figure below) and saw their desires for sweets and foods rich in fat considerably decrease.
According to Alfouzan and Nakamura, Physiology & Behavior 2025.
A questioning of established theories
For Pr Nakamura, “This fundamentally refutes the theory of hungry fat cells, a long -standing hypothesis according to which fat cells lack energy and trigger food desires, pushing people to the diet to eat and ultimately resume what they have lost. But this is not the case. As long as you maintain a healthy weight, your food desires will remain weak. »»
Small gaps to eat pleasure food is therefore possible! “The popular myth wants us to have a very strong will to resist temptation, but it is not the case”concludes Pr Nakamura.
FAQ: the food inclusion strategy
What is the food inclusion strategy?
The inclusion strategy presented in this study is to integrate small portions of pleasure (desserts, snacks) in a balanced meal rather than prohibiting them completely. This approach makes it possible to satisfy your desires while maintaining a weight loss program.
How many times a day can we use this strategy?
According to the study, the frequency varies according to people: some participants used it 1 to 3 times a day, others only once a week.
Does this method work for everyone?
The study was conducted on overweight or obese adults aged 18 to 75. The results show that those who used the inclusion strategy have lost more weight than the others.
How much weight can we hope to lose with this method?
In the study, participants lost an average of 7.9 % of their initial weight over one year. Those who used the inclusion strategy have lost more weight than the others (see figure above). However, please note that the study had few participants.
Are the cravings really disappear?
The study shows that participants who lost more than 5 % of their weight noted a constant reduction in the frequency and intensity of their food desires.
Is this approach compatible with diabetes?
It is essential to consult your attending physician before adopting this strategy, especially in the event of diabetes where carbohydrate management remains crucial.
