title: Impulsive reactions to food-cues predict subsequent food craving.
abstract: Low inhibitory control has been associated with overeating and addictive behaviors. Inhibitory control can modulate cue-elicited craving in social or alcohol-dependent drinkers, and trait impulsivity may also play a role in food-cue reactivity. The current study investigated food-cue affected response inhibition and its relationship to food craving using a stop-signal task with pictures of food and neutral stimuli. Participants responded slower to food pictures as compared to neutral pictures. Reaction times in response to food pictures positively predicted scores on the Food Cravings Questionnaire - State (FCQ-S) after the task and particularly scores on its hunger subscale. Lower inhibitory performance in response to food pictures predicted higher FCQ-S scores and particularly those related to a desire for food and lack of control over consumption. Task performance was unrelated to current dieting or other measures of habitual eating behaviors. Results support models on interactive effects of top-down inhibitory control processes and bottom-up hedonic signals in the self-regulation of eating behavior, such that low inhibitory control specifically in response to appetitive stimuli is associated with increased craving, which may ultimately result in overeating.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, Department of Psychology I, University of Würzburg, Marcusstr. 9-11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany. Electronic address: adrian.meule@uni-wuerzburg.de.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meule
authors.affiliation: Research Unit INSIDE, Université du Luxembourg, Route de Diekirch-BP2, L-7220 Walferdange, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: Annika P C
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.affiliation: Research Unit INSIDE, Université du Luxembourg, Route de Diekirch-BP2, L-7220 Walferdange, Luxembourg; Research Group on Health Psychology, University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vögele
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, Department of Psychology I, University of Würzburg, Marcusstr. 9-11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kübler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003463:Cues; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Food craving; Food-cues; Impulsivity; Inhibitory control; Response inhibition; Stop-signal task