Environmental, social and psychological factors aren't responsible for weight gain, say researchers recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Their study results indicated that people who gain weight do so simply because they ingest more calories.

Nineteen men and women who were gaining weight recorded their food intake for seven days. Their results were compared to the food diaries of 19 men and women whose weight remained stable. Both groups recorded information about environmental factors (such as where they ate the food), social factors (such as whether they ate alone, with their partner or with a group), psychological factors (such as whether they felt lonely or bored while eating) and physiological factors (such as amounts and calorie density of the foods eaten). They also recorded beverages they consumed and their activity levels during the seven-day recording period.

The results? The people who were gaining weight ate more calories - about 1,700 more daily than the people who maintained their weight. The weight gainers ate more calories from carbohydrates and fat, and in general, they had larger meal sizes than the people in the weight-stable group. Environmental, social and psychological factors were similar in both groups.

The results of this study suggest that cutting calories can halt weight gain. Practicing portion control is another strategy this study supports as a way to maintain, but not add to, your weight.

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Sources:  Pearcey SM, De Castro JM. Food intake and meal patterns of weight-stable and weight-gaining persons. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2002 Jul;76(1):107-12.