title: Food reinforcement and eating: a multilevel analysis.
abstract: Eating represents a choice among many alternative behaviors. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of how food reinforcement and behavioral choice theory are related to eating and to show how this theoretical approach may help organize research on eating from molecular genetics through treatment and prevention of obesity. Special emphasis is placed on how food reinforcement and behavioral choice theory are relevant to understanding excess energy intake and obesity and how they provide a framework for examining factors that may influence eating and are outside of those that may regulate energy homeostasis. Methods to measure food reinforcement are reviewed, along with factors that influence the reinforcing value of eating. Contributions of neuroscience and genetics to the study of food reinforcement are illustrated by using the example of dopamine. Implications of food reinforcement for obesity and positive energy balance are explored, with suggestions for novel approaches to obesity treatment based on the synthesis of behavioral and pharmacological approaches to food reinforcement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14214-3000, USA. lhenet@acsu.buffalo.edu
authors.forename: Leonard H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Leddy
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Temple
authors.forename: Myles S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Faith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004435:Eating / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D009753:Nutritive Value; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1 / Q000235:genetics; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1; C493214:SLC6A3 protein, human; C098593:dopamine D1A receptor; D004298:Dopamine