How availability of food affects attentional control in restrained eaters: Eye movements in a pictorial-adapted antisaccade task

Background: Previous research notes diminished attentional control in restrained eaters when presented with food images. This loss of attentional control is attributed to both approach and avoidance biases. Two eye-tracking experiments extended these findings by exploring how the availability of food affects both types of attentional control.

Methods: In experiment one participants (N = 72) completed a pictorial-adapted antisaccade task (food vs. neutral). In experiment two, prior to completing the antisaccade task, participants (N = 70) chose six unhealthy snacks to consume after the experiment (i.e., actionable food). DEBQ assessed levels of eating restraint. Using saccade latency, a bias score was calculated as a proxy for attentional control (Saccade Latency Food – Saccade Latency Neutral). A 2 (prosaccade bias vs. antisaccade bias) x 2 (restrained vs. unrestrained) mixed-model ANOVA was used.

Findings: In the first experiment, attentional control between restrained and unrestrained eaters did not differ significantly (F = .03, p = .86). However in the second experiment, when participants were expecting to eat, restrained eaters demonstrated an approach bias towards food images (F = 4.85, p <.05). In contrast, attentional control in unrestrained eaters was not affected by image type (F = .28, p = .60).

Discussion: Restrained eaters are typically unsuccessful at losing weight, despite a strong intention to diet. Loss of attentional control in the presence of food images may contribute to this relationship. Expecting to eat unhealthy food reinforces this vulnerability in restrained eaters and offers a potential explanation for why weight loss is not achieved.