Cognitive Biases to Healthy and Unhealthy Food Words Predict Change in BMI

R Calitri, EM Pothos, K Tapper, JM Brunstrom, PJ Rogers

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (Academic Journal)peer-review

94 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The current study explored the predictive value of cognitive biases to food cues (assessed by emotional Stroop and dot probe tasks) on weight change over a 1-year period. This was a longitudinal study with undergraduate students (N = 102) living in shared student accommodation. After controlling for the effects of variables associated with weight (e. g., physical activity, stress, restrained eating, external eating, and emotional eating), no effects of cognitive bias were found with the dot probe. However, for the emotional Stroop, cognitive bias to unhealthy foods predicted an increase in BMI whereas cognitive bias to healthy foods was associated with a decrease in BMI. Results parallel findings in substance abuse research; cognitive biases appear to predict behavior change. Accordingly, future research should consider strategies for attentional retraining, encouraging individuals to reorient attention away from unhealthy eating cues.
Translated title of the contributionCognitive biases to healthy and unhealthy foods predict change in BMI
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2282 - 2287
Number of pages6
JournalObesity
Volume18
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2010

Research Groups and Themes

  • Nutrition and Behaviour

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