Existing strategies for coping with food cravings are of unknown efficacy and rely on principles that have been shown to have paradoxical effects. The present study evaluated novel, acceptance-based strategies for coping with craving by randomly assigning 48 overweight women to either an experimental psychological acceptance-oriented intervention or a standard cognitive reappraisal/distraction intervention. Participants were required to carry a box of sweets on their person for 72 h while abstaining from any consumption of sweets. Results suggested that the acceptance-based coping strategies resulted in lower cravings and reduced consumption, particularly for those who demonstrate greater susceptibility to the presence of food and report a tendency to engage in emotional eating.
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