A Simple Weight Loss Quiz Can Determine Why Some Diets Fail and How to Increase Your Success

Weight loss can largely depend on each individual’s habits and relationship with food.

With this in mind, new research from City St. George’s, University of London, found that categorizing people into “food profiles” can help them achieve lasting results.

The study was based on an online questionnaire developed by the university, which took participants through 17 questions about their behavioral habits regarding emotional eating, diet and exercise.

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Questionnaire participants were grouped into four profiles, or phenotypes, based on their responses: purple lavender, red chili, yellow saffron, and green sage.

The quiz then offered personalized advice for developing a healthier long-term lifestyle, including how to meet personal goals, improve dietary choices, and incorporate more movement.

Participants in the UK study enrolled in a 12-week digital weight loss program, plus seven weeks of personalized coaching.

Those who responded to the questionnaire and identified themselves with a profile showed “significant” participation in the 12-week program compared to those who did not. They were also more likely to comply, according to the university.

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Quiz participants also logged more meals, communicated with health coaches more frequently, and lost more weight on average.

“Weekly phenotype-tailored counseling was associated with substantially greater participation in a real-world digital program, although short-term weight differences were not statistically significant,” the authors concluded in the study, which was published in JMIR Formative Research.

Although the study was not randomized, followed participants only for a short period of time and was based on self-reported weight, the results suggest that adjusting digital weight loss programs based on how people normally eat and behave could help more users follow them, the researchers said.

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“Larger randomized trials with longer follow-ups are warranted to determine whether increased participation translates into clinically meaningful weight loss,” they added.

News Digital reached out to the study’s authors for comment.

Breaking down the 4 food profiles

According to the researchers, “Red Chili” is characterized by “highly maladaptive and hedonic eating, low self-regulation, and high psychological avoidance.”

This means that Red Chili members may feel like their eating is out of control, use food to cope with negative emotions, feel guilty about their eating habits, and tend to ignore problems. This group also tends to follow restrictive diets, but then overeat when it doesn’t work.

“Yellow Saffron” is based on “highly hedonic eating and reward reactivity and maladaptive eating.”

These people may find it difficult to resist overeating, choose foods based on taste rather than health benefits, and often crave foods high in calories, fat, and sugar.

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“Purple Lavender” represented “low self-regulation and high psychological avoidance, as well as maladaptive and hedonic eating.”

This group tends to set goals and pursue them temporarily, but may give up when faced with an obstacle. Lavender Purples may lose enthusiasm after starting to make changes and have difficulty continuing, as well as ignoring problems and challenges.

“Green Sage” is characterized in the questionnaire as “poorly adaptive and hedonic eating, high self-regulation, and low psychological avoidance.”

“There is no general way of eating that suits every person, because behavior and personality play an important role.”

These people often need clear guidance to make positive lifestyle changes, but they put off working to achieve their goals when they lack motivation.

People in Green Sage may tend not to get the recommended amount of physical activity for their health or eat the recommended amount of vegetables for their diet, even if they often cook at home.

Experts say

Ilana Muhlstein, a registered dietitian and nutritionist based in Los Angeles, praised the “really intuitive” questionnaire.

“It really hits the emotional and behavioral side of weight loss that people struggle with the most,” the California-based expert told News Digital.

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“He did an amazing job once he identified her eating type, giving her mindset shifts and descriptions of what to work on,” she continued. “I’m not surprised it made a significant difference in motivation and adherence to the weight loss plan from the beginning.”

Since the results found no significant differences at the seven-week mark, Muhlstein suggested this means researchers “need to work on better follow-up measures” to help people be more consistent.

Certified holistic nutritionist Robin DeCicco added that “it makes sense” to recognize food-related habits and behaviors to promote weight loss and health goals.

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“Health is an individualized issue. There is no general way of eating that suits each person, because behavior and personality play an important role,” the New York expert told News Digital.

“Following a generic diet of what to eat and what to avoid does not result in any kind of meaningful change unless personality types, behaviors and habits are addressed.”