Inhibitory Control, Attentional Bias, and Palatable Food Consumption in Adolescents: A Laboratory Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: Understanding relationships among inhibitory control, attentional bias to food cues, and food consumption in nonclinical adolescent samples can inform preventive efforts for disordered eating and associated health risks.

Objective: This pilot study conducted preliminary testing of an inhibitory control training intervention on attentional bias toward food cues, hedonic appetite, and food consumption, as well as examined inhibitory control's relationship with hedonic appetite, food consumption, binge eating, and cognitive restraint.

Methods: Participants (N=43; mean age 15.1, SD 1.7 years; 31/43, 72% female) were randomized to a food cue-specific go/no go inhibitory control training intervention or control group, took part in a laboratory "taste test," and completed surveys and a dietary recall. Additional data were collected for subsamples through an eye tracking task (15/43, 35%) and cognitive tasks (19/43, 44%).

Results: The go/no go intervention showed preliminary associations with attentional bias toward food cues. There were preliminary associations between inhibitory control and sugar consumption measured via dietary recall, binge eating symptoms, and cognitive restraint, which should be examined in a fully powered study.

Conclusions: The role of inhibitory control should be examined in larger studies to inform strategies for promotion of healthy eating behavior and prevention of disordered eating in adolescents.

Keywords: adolescent; attentional bias; hedonic appetite; inhibitory control; palatable food.