Is impulsivity responsible for obesity?

peer reviewedObesity is a complex, multi-factorial condition involving biological, psychological and environmental (social and cultural) components. Among these, impulsivity seems to be of particular importance. Recently, Whiteside and Lynam have proposed to parse impulsivity into four separate dimensions : urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance and sensation seeking. Psychological tasks and questionnaires have been used to explore the cognitive and motivational mechanisms underlying the four facets of impulsivity in obese patients