M.A.M. (Mégane) Ackermans, MSc

Obesity is a pressing public health issue with harmful physical and psychological consequences. Weight loss attempts by food restriction are typically unsuccessful and tend to backfire by eventually increasing instead of reducing individuals’ weight. In my PhD project, I aim to explain the adverse effect of dieting and to find clues for more effective weight-loss interventions. I specifically test whether dieting may drive individuals, especially those with poor emotion regulation strategies, into a vicious cycle where food restriction leads to hunger-induced negative emotions, which in turn promote dysfunctional (over)eating and weight gain, leading back to food restriction.