Restrained eating predicts effortful self-control as indicated by heart rate variability during food exposure.
When confronted with food, restrained eaters have to inhibit the pursuit of the short-term goal of enjoying their food for the sake of the long-term goal of controlling their weight. Thus, restrained eating creates a self-control situation. In the present study we investigated the initiation of effortful self-control by food cues in accordance with the level of restrained eating. We expected that a preceding act of self-control would moderate the association between restrained eating and effortful self-control initiated by food cues. Participants (N=111) were randomly assigned to a task requiring self-control or a task not requiring self-control. Subsequently, participants were exposed to palatable food, and effortful self-control was measured via heart rate variability (HRV). Restrained eating was associated with enhanced HRV during food exposure after exercising self-control but not after not exercising self-control. The results indicate that maintaining dieting goals results in food cues initiating effortful self-control after a preceding act of self-control. We suggest considering the effect of acts of self-control when modeling the initial steps on the path from food cues to unsuccessful restrained eating.
Ernst Moritz Arndt Universitaet Greifswald, Institut fuer Psychologie, Franz-Mehring-Straße 47, 17487, Greifswald, Germany. Electronic address: fay.geisler@uni-Greifswald.de.
Fay C M
FCM
Geisler
Ernst Moritz Arndt Universitaet Greifswald, Institut fuer Psychologie, Franz-Mehring-Straße 47, 17487, Greifswald, Germany.
Anne
A
Kleinfeldt
Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet Mainz, Psychologisches Institut, Gesundheitspsychologie, Binger Strasse 14-16, 55099 Mainz, Germany. Electronic address: kubiak@uni-mainz.de.
Thomas
T
Kubiak
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003463:Cues; D004435:Eating; D002149:Energy Intake; D005221:Fatigue; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D000068356:Self-Control; D055815:Young Adult
Effortful self-control; Ego depletion; Food cues; Goal conflict model of eating; Heart rate variability; Restrained eating