A temperament based perspective on eating behaviour and appetite in the overweight and obese

This thesis investigated the relationship between a developmental model of Temperament and eating behaviour. It explored whether an individual’s innate level of emotional reactivity and their ability to manage this placed them at risk of uncontrolled eating behaviours, which have been linked to weight management failure, overweight and obesity. The results of this thesis suggest that emotionally reactive individuals may turn to highly liked, high-fat foods to soothe their emotions. Such individuals may be at greater risk of uncontrolled eating behaviour because they are unable to regulate their level of reactivity and subsequently lack effective strategies to regulate their emotions