Adherence
Successful dietary restraint and weight maintenance are mediated by dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation, which exerts inhibitory control over mesolimbic appetitive motivation.
Dieting success relies on your brain's ability to inhibit cravings, not just the absence of cravings. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) handles this inhibition. When you are stressed, tired, or mentally busy, your PFC resources are depleted, making it harder to resist palatable food. To improve adherence, manage stress and cognitive load, as these factors directly disrupt the neural mechanisms required for self-control.
Successful dieters showed greater activation of the dorsal PFC relative to nondieters following consumption of a liquid meal, and dorsal PFC activation was positively associated with self-reported dietary restraint in this sample.
Why this rating
Based on neuroimaging studies (fMRI) correlating brain activation with behavioral outcomes (dietary restraint).
Source
Neurobehavioral Inhibition of Reward‐driven Feeding: Implications for Dieting and Obesity
Bradley M. Appelhans · Obesity · 2009
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