THE EFFECT OF PREEXPOSURE TO FOOD CUES ON THE EATING BEHAVIOR OF RESTRAINED AND UNRESTRAINED EATERS

This study investigated the effect of pre-exposure to two types of foo d cues (olfactory and cognitive) on food intake by restrained and unre strained eaters. Subjects were exposed to either no cue, an olfactory cue, a cognitive cue or a combination of the two types of food cues fo r ten minutes prior to eating. Restrained eaters ate significantly mor e than did unrestrained eaters after exposure to the food cues. There was no difference in food intake when there was no preexposure to the cues. Although baseline subjective ratings were equivalent for both gr oups of subjects, after cue pre-exposure, restrained subjects, in keep ing with their increased consumption, indicated a significantly greate r craving, liking, and desire to eat the cued food (pizza) than did th e unrestrained subjects. These findings suggest that restrained eaters are more sensitive and reactive to food cues than are unrestrained ea ters. The food cues appeared to generate an appetitive urge to eat in restrained eaters. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.