title: Stimulus control and affect in dietary behaviours. An intensive longitudinal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dietary behaviours are substantially influenced by environmental and internal stimuli, such as mood, social situation, and food availability. However, little is known about the role of stimulus control for eating in non-clinical populations, and no studies so far have looked at eating and drinking behaviour simultaneously.
  
  
  METHODS
  53 individuals from the general population took part in an intensive longitudinal study with repeated, real-time assessments of eating and drinking using Ecological Momentary Assessment. Eating was assessed as main meals and snacks, drinks assessments were separated along alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Situational and internal stimuli were assessed during both eating and drinking events, and during randomly selected non-eating occasions. Hierarchical multinomial logistic random effects models were used to analyse data, comparing dietary events to non-eating occasions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Several situational and affective antecedents of dietary behaviours could be identified. Meals were significantly associated with having food available and observing others eat. Snacking was associated with negative affect, having food available, and observing others eat. Engaging in activities and being with others decreased the likelihood of eating behaviours. Non-alcoholic drinks were associated with observing others eat, and less activities and company. Alcoholic drinks were associated with less negative affect and arousal, and with observing others eat.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RESULTS support the role of stimulus control in dietary behaviours, with support for both internal and external, in particular availability and social stimuli. The findings for negative affect support the idea of comfort eating, and results point to the formation of eating habits via cue-behaviour associations.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Division of Psychology, University of Tasmania, Australia. Electronic address: benjamin.schuez@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schüz
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Division of Psychology, University of Tasmania, Australia.
authors.forename: Jodie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bower
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Divisions of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Tasmania, Australia.
authors.forename: Stuart G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Ferguson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001628:Beverages; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology*; D004435:Eating / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D062407:Meals / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Ambulatory assessment; Comfort eating; Ecological momentary assessment; Environmental cues; Stimulus control