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Testing reward processing models of obesity using in-the-moment assessments of subjective enjoyment of food and non-food activities
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Testing reward processing models of obesity using in-the-moment assessments of subjective enjoyment of food and non-food activities

Christina Chwyl, Erica M LaFata, Sophie R Abber, Adrienne S Juarascio and Evan M Forman
Eating behaviors : an international journal, v 48, pp 101698-101698
13 Dec 2022
PMID: 36527989
url
http://manuscript.elsevier.com/S1471015322001040/pdf/S1471015322001040.pdfView
Accepted (AM)Open Access (Publisher-Specific) Open

Abstract

Ecological momentary assessment Obesity Reward sensitivity Liking Behavioral intervention Weight loss
Although altered reward processing is proposed to play a key role in obesity maintenance, the role of food enjoyment and enjoyment of non-food naturally rewarding activities ("non-food enjoyment") in obesity maintenance remains unknown. This study examined how food and non-food enjoyment were associated with baseline body mass index (BMI) and weight loss (WL) following year-long behavioral WL treatment. At baseline, participants (M  = 51.81; 73.8 % White, N = 279) with overweight/obesity completed a 7-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol inquiring about pleasure/enjoyment derived from eating and non-food activities over the past few hours. Participants also completed retrospective self-report measures of food/non-food enjoyment. With linear regressions, associations between EMA food/non-food enjoyment and BMI and post-treatment WL were examined. Race was included as a covariate. EMA and retrospective food/non-food enjoyment measures had modest concordance, providing preliminary psychometric support for the EMA measures. Partially consistent with hypotheses, greater EMA food enjoyment was associated with lower BMI (B = -1.03, p = .01) and with greater WL, though the latter association was not statistically significant (B = 1.15, p = .07). Exploratory analyses suggested that race was associated with food enjoyment (non-White participants had greater food enjoyment than White participants, d = 0.81, p = .005), and that race may have affected associations between food enjoyment and weight outcomes. Associations between non-food enjoyment and weight outcomes were small and nonsignificant (ps > .93). Results suggest enjoyment from food, but not from non-food domains, is associated with weight outcomes.

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#5 Gender Equality
#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Psychiatry
Psychology, Clinical
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