Individuals Higher in Eating Restraint Show Heightened Physiological Arousal to Food Images

Abstract

Individuals higher in eating restraint report feeling ambivalent (i.e., both positive and negative) about food, regardless of whether it is perceived to be unhealthy or healthy (Norris, Do, Close & Deswert, 2019). Given that ambivalence is thought to be a highly unpleasant, unstable, and arousing state, we sought in the current study to examine whether individuals higher in eating restraint show enhanced physiological arousal toward food (but not nonfood) images. Replicating our earlier findings (Norris et al., 2019), individuals higher in eating restraint exhibited more ambivalence towards both unhealthy and healthy food (but not nonfood) images than did those lower in eating restraint. Importantly, skin conductance reactivity (SCR) toward both unhealthy and healthy food images was greater for individuals higher in eating restraint than those lower in eating restraint; there were no group differences for nonfood images. Furthermore, eating restraint scores were positively correlated with SCR toward both unhealthy and healthy food images, suggesting that more extreme restraint is associated with stronger physiological arousal. Together, our results suggest that individuals higher in eating restraint experience more ambivalence and enhanced physiological arousal toward food images regardless of their perceived health value. Implications for treating individuals with eating disorders are discussed.

Arousal and the modulation of sensory experience: evidence from food-related emotions

“…A similar effect on consumption by restrained eaters was shown following the threat of having to undertake a stressful task [104]. That such effects are underpinned by increased arousal is suggested by findings that restrained eaters show increased physiological responding (skin conductance activity) when presented with food images [105]. On the other hand, increased adventurousness in selecting a variety of foods may be associated with a lower body mass index (BMI) [106].…”