Late-stage Attentional Bias towards Food Cues Varies According to Weight Status

Main Article Content

Nicholas B. Wheeler Jordan A. Colella Robert E. Anderson III http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0008-7754 Kylie F. McFee Kyle D. Flack

Abstract

The Current food environment has become increasingly obesogenic, with rates of obesity and related conditions continually rising. Advertisements for energy-dense foods are abundant and promote unhealthy eating behaviors by capitalizing on one’s attentional bias towards food cues, a cognitive process resulting from the sensitization of highly reinforcing food. A heightened awareness towards food cues may promote overconsumption of energy-dense foods. The current study employed novel eye-tracking methodology to capture sustained, or late-stage, attentional bias towards food cues. Late-stage attentional bias is the aspect of attentional bias under conscious control and likely more prone to modification compared to initial/ early-stage attentional bias, which reflects automatic processes.  The present study hypothesized late-stage attentional bias towards food cues is greater among individuals classified as overweight/obese than those classified as normal weight. Thirty (30) participants classified as overweight/obese (BMI >25) and 47 classified as normal weight (BMI <25) were assessed for late-stage attentional bias towards food cues, conceptualized as the percentage of time fixated on food cues when both food and neutral images were presented during a food-specific visual probe procedure task. Percentage of time fixated on food cues was 51.25 ± 1.27 (mean + SE) among individuals classified as overweight to obese while those classified as normal weight had a percent fixation of 47.26 ± 0.87 (P=0.03). In conclusion, individuals classified as overweight to obese have greater late-stage attentional bias towards food cues. This establishes an important factor influencing energy intake that may be modified in future clinical trials. 

Keywords: Attentional Bias, Obesity, Environmental Salience, Food Reinforcement, Visual Probe Procedure, Fixation Time

Article Details

How to Cite
WHEELER, Nicholas B. et al. Late-stage Attentional Bias towards Food Cues Varies According to Weight Status. Medical Research Archives, [S.l.], v. 11, n. 6, june 2023. ISSN 2375-1924. Available at: <https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/3918>. Date accessed: 08 dec. 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v11i6.3918.
Section
Research Articles

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