Attention to food cues, working memory & overconsumption of food
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Top down modulation of attention to food cues via working memory: Is this a trait that can lead to overconsumption of food?
IRAS ID
148133
Contact name
Panagiota Kaisari
Contact email
Research summary
Obese individuals and dieters restrained eaters pay more attention to food cues in the environment than normal weight and non-dieting individuals and this may be related to overconsumption of foods because food cues act as a trigger for eating. However, little is known about why this is the case. One hypothesis is that attentional biases towards food cues in obese individuals are mediated (in part) by the fact that they are often preoccupied with thoughts of food and this directs their attention to food cues around them. Recently, we found that normal weight sated participants could be directed to show attention to food cues by holding information about food in mind (known as working memory). Participants were asked to remember a food cue and when they did this they were quicker at identifying the presence of a food cue in a visual search task. The main aim of this project is to determine whether the above effect is also true in obese individuals. We aim to investigate whether differences in attentional bias to food cues between obese and normal weight, sated individuals are in any way correlated with differences in food intake, measures of body composition (particularly body fat percentage) and Energy Expenditure measurements. This project will therefore enhance our understanding concerning whether the observed differences in attentional bias to food cues between obese and normal weight individuals are the result of cognitive influences from memory, as well as whether heightened attention to food cues is associated with energy balance parameters, and consequently the development of obesity.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/WM/1048
Date of REC Opinion
6 Aug 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion