The Presence of Real Food Usurps Hypothetical Health Value Judgment in Overweight People.
To develop more ecologically valid models of the neurobiology of obesity, it is critical to determine how the neural processes involved in food-related decision-making translate into real-world eating behaviors. We examined the relationship between goal-directed valuations of food images in the MRI scanner and food consumption at a subsequent ad libitum buffet meal. We observed that 23 lean and 40 overweight human participants showed similar patterns of value-based neural responses to health and taste attributes of foods. In both groups, these value-based responses in the ventromedial PFC were predictive of subsequent consumption at the buffet. However, overweight participants consumed a greater proportion of unhealthy foods. This was not predicted by in-scanner choices or neural response. Moreover, in overweight participants alone, impulsivity scores predicted greater consumption of unhealthy foods. Overall, our findings suggest that, while the hypothetical valuation of the health of foods is predictive of eating behavior in both lean and overweight people, it is only the real-world food choices that clearly distinguish them.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, United Kingdom; Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom.
Nenad
N
Medic
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, United Kingdom; Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom; Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB21 5EF, United Kingdom.
Hisham
H
Ziauddeen
Department of Psychology, Anglia Ruskin University , Cambridge CB1 1PT, United Kingdom.
Suzanna E
0000-0002-8406-5121
SE
Forwood
Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom; MRC Human Nutrition Research, Cambridge CB1 9NL, United Kingdom.
Kirsty M
KM
Davies
MRC Human Nutrition Research , Cambridge CB1 9NL, United Kingdom.
Amy L
0000-0001-5069-4758
AL
Ahern
Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford , Oxford OX2 6GG, United Kingdom.
Susan A
SA
Jebb
Behaviour and Health Research Unit, Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB2 0SR, United Kingdom.
Theresa M
TM
Marteau
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, United Kingdom; Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom; Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB21 5EF, United Kingdom.
Paul C
0000-0001-8257-1517
PC
Fletcher
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D007600:Judgment / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D050177:Overweight / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D055697:Taste Perception / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D010100:Oxygen
eating behavior; food choices; impulsivity; obesity; subjective value; vmPFC