Do you have a rough time resisting the temptation of yummy foods? The answer may be at  your waistline, says a study cited in the most recent edition of AARP Magazine.

It says impulsive people tend to weigh 22 pounds more on average than people who live cautious lives.

Impulsive behavior is the "inability to resist temptation," said Jillon Vander Wal, associate professor of clinical psychology at St. Louis University.  It can be tied to a need for instant gratification for almost anything a person finds pleasurable, Vander Wal said. "Impulsivity is rather complex."

The item in the magazine is from a study,  “Personality and Obesity Across the Adult Life Span,” for the National Institute of Aging.

Impulsivity has a bundle of causes, the study says. “Individuals with this constellation of traits tend to give in to temptation and lack the discipline to stay on track amid difficulties or frustration,” the researchers wrote. “To maintain a healthy weight, it is typically necessary to have a healthy diet and a sustained program of physical activity, both of which require commitment and restraint. Such control may be difficult for highly impulsive individuals.”

Vander Wal notes, some people have made a choice to have fun being impulsive and see no need for restraint, she said. For others, impulsive behavior results from stress or other influences that disturb the ability to be disciplined. That's when the effects hamper health, emotions and life in general, she said. And that's when it's time to seek professional help, she said.

The key is for people to know they're impulsive and decide if they like it or not. They can take steps to gain control, she said.

"At dinner don't put food on the table," she said, citing an example. "Fill your plate in the kitchen then bring it to the table," so food isn't beckoning from the platters. Even in restaurants, she knows of people who order portion sizes then have the restaurants box up the remainder rather than have large sizes within their grasps, she said.

"Impulses are hard to control," she said. "You can reduce it by restructuring environments."