Dieting and Food Cue-Related Working Memory Performance.

Adrian Meule

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01944

Abstract

Executive functioning (e.g., working memory) is tightly intertwined with self-regulation. For example, food cue-elicited craving has been found to impair working memory performance. Furthermore, current dieters have been found to show lower working memory performance than non-dieters. Recent research, however, suggests that it is crucial to consider dieting success in addition to current dieting status or restrained eating in order to reveal cognitive mechanisms that are associated with successful eating-related self-regulation. The current study investigated food cue-related working memory performance as a function of dieting status and dieting success in female students. Participants performed an n-back task with pictures of food and neutral objects. Reaction time in response to food pictures was slower than in response to neutral pictures, whereas omission errors did not differ between picture types. Current food craving was increased after performing the food block, but not after the neutral block. There was an indirect effect of current dieting status on higher food craving after the food block, which was mediated by slower reaction time to food vs. neutral pictures. Furthermore, higher dieting success was associated with fewer omission errors in the food vs. neutral block in current dieters. There were no relationships of restrained eating with current food craving and task performance. Results further highlight the need to differentiate between successful and unsuccessful dieting in addition to current dieting status or restrained eating when examining possible mechanisms of overeating or successful restraint. Although palatable food cues induce food craving regardless of dieting success, they may boost executive functioning in successful dieters, which helps them to overcome these temptations.

Highlights

Restrained eating refers to the intention to restrict food intake deliberately in order to prevent weight gain or to promote weight loss (Tuschl, 1990)
Current dieters did not differ from non-dieters in age, body mass index (BMI), dieting success, and food deprivation, but had higher scores on restrained eating (Table 1)
Current dieters did not differ from non-dieters in current food craving before the task, after the food block, and after the neutral block

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Restrained eating refers to the intention to restrict food intake deliberately in order to prevent weight gain or to promote weight loss (Tuschl, 1990). With regard to dieting behavior, it has been found that current dieters display lower working memory performance than nondieters and this impairment is partly related to preoccupying thoughts about food, weight, and shape (Kemps and Tiggemann, 2005; Kemps et al, 2005) These studies, assessed general working memory performance, but did not measure working memory performance related to relevant cues (i.e., food). It was expected that dieters would demonstrate reduced working memory performance compared to non-dieters (Kemps and Tiggemann, 2005; Kemps et al, 2005) This reduced performance was expected to be observed in response to food cues in unsuccessful dieters, but not in successful dieters (who may even show better task performance in response to food cues, similar to what has been found in motor response inhibition tasks; Houben et al, 2012; Meule et al, 2014a). It was explored if lower working memory performance was associated with higher subsequent food craving and, if task performance mediated a possible association between dieting status and/or dieting success and food cue-induced craving

Participants

Procedure

RESULTS

Restraint Scale

DISCUSSION