Relationship between dieting to lose weight and the functioning of the central executive

Kemps, Eva; Tiggemann, Marika; Marshall, Kelly Michele

doi:10.1016/j.appet.2005.07.002

Cited by 48 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…This slowed responding to neutral matrices could be indicative of a general cognitive slowing. This interpretation fits with previous reports of longer reaction times in restrained eaters (Green et al, 2000) and poorer general cognitive performance among weight-loss dieters (Green et al, 1997(Green et al, , 2003Green & Rogers, 1998;Kemps, Tiggemann & Marshall, 2005;Shaw & Tiggemann, 2004; Attentional bias and dietary restraint 15 Vreugdenburg, Bryan & Kemps, 2003). Such performance decrements have generally been attributed to restrained eaters' preoccupation with food-related thoughts which are primarily verbal in nature.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Components of attentional bias for food cues among restrained eaters

et al. 2010

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The study aimed to investigate attentional bias for food cues among restrained eaters.In particular, the roles of speeded detection (enhanced orientation of attention toward food stimuli) and slowed disengagement (trouble disengaging attention from food stimuli) were examined. Participants were 78 female undergraduate students aged 18-25 years, classified as restrained (N = 38) or unrestrained eaters (N = 40). Attentional bias was assessed by a visual search task which required participants to locate the position of an odd-one-out target word in a matrix of 19 distractor words. Restrained eaters were disproportionately faster than unrestrained eaters to detect a food word within a neutral matrix compared to a neutral word within a neutral distractor matrix.Restrained eaters were also disproportionately faster, rather than slower, than unrestrained eaters to detect a neutral word within a food matrix compared to a neutral word within a neutral distractor matrix. Thus restrained eaters show a heightened vigilance for food cues, but no slower disengagement from such cues.Keywords: attentional bias, dietary restraint, food cues, odd-one-out visual search task, speeded detection Attentional bias and dietary restraint 3 Restrained eaters are characterised by chronic weight and shape concerns, which lead them to intentionally restrict their intake of food and calories (Ruderman, 1986). Such dietary restraint can give rise to a number of negative consequences, including low self esteem, and increased levels of anxiety and depression (Appleton & McGowan, 2006). Compared to unrestrained eaters, restrained eaters also show impaired cognitive performance, particularly on tasks involving concentration (Williams et al., 2002) and speeded responding (Green, Rogers & Elliman, 2000).Another potentially negative consequence of dietary restraint is a preoccupation with food and eating (Cogan & Ernsberger, 1999;Polivy & Herman, 2002). Restrained eaters are more attuned to food cues in the environment, and attempt to avoid these in order to control their body weight (Green, Elliman & Rogers, 1997;Green & Rogers, 1993). This food preoccupation affects the way in which restrained eaters process information about food. In particular, using a modified Stroop task, several studies have shown that restrained eaters exhibit delayed colournaming of food words, indicative of an attentional bias for food cues (Francis, Stewart & Hounsell, 1997;Green & Rogers, 1993;Overduin, Jansen & Louwerse, 1995;Perpina, Hemsley, Treasure & de Silva, 1993;Stewart & Samoluk, 1997). This attentional favouring is an automatic process that occurs implicitly (i.e., outside of conscious awareness). However, it should be noted that not all studies have found differences between restrained and unrestrained eaters in colour-naming of food words (Lattimore, Thompson & Halford, 2000;Sackville, Schotte, Touyz, Griffiths & Beumont, 1998).Biased attentional processing of food cues has generally been interpreted as a heightened vigilance for food. However, more re...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Components of attentional bias for food cues among restrained eaters

et al. 2010

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“…self-reported 'hunger' or 'desire to eat'). This latter finding does not support previous findings (8,9,12,13) , which have indicated that the primary cause of dieting-related impairment in cognitive function is the result of preoccupying cognitions relating to food preferentially consuming limited working memory capacity. The present data do not, however, preclude the possibility that the observed effects of dieting on cognitive function are the result of preoccupying cognitions relating to body shape or self-esteem (11 -13) .…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Are dieting-related cognitive impairments a function of iron status?

Green

Elliman

2012

Br J Nutr

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The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the impairments in cognitive function observed in unsupported dieting are related to compromised Fe status. During a non-clinical intervention, overweight participants (age: 18 -45 years, BMI: 25-30 kg/m 2 ) either participated in a commercially available weight-loss regimen (n 14), dieted without support (n 17) or acted as a non-dieting control group (n 14) for a period of 8 weeks. Measurements of cognitive function and blood chemistry were taken at a pre-diet baseline, after 1 week and 8 weeks of dieting. After 1 week, unsupported dieters displayed impaired verbal memory, executive function and slower reaction speeds than the other two groups, this difference disappearing by the end of the study. There were no significant group-related changes in blood chemistry over the course of the study, although there were group-related changes in a number of self-reported food-related cognitions. In conclusion, impaired cognition among unsupported dieters is not due to compromised Fe status and is most likely to result from psychological variables. Key words: Dieting: Dietary support: Cognition: Iron metabolismDeliberate restriction of food intake to control weight is one of the most common food choice-related behaviour in the developed world. Indeed, over one-third of the general US population is classed as obese (1) , with an associated impact on health treatment resources (2) . Within the context of these rising obesity rates (3) , an understanding of the psychological impact of undernutrition and weight loss assumes an increasing importance.While there are undoubted health benefits of controlling obesity, the attempt to lose weight by dieting has been associated with a number of negative psychological consequences such as increased depression and low self-esteem (4) . Although the evidence concerning the psychological effects of experimentally induced weight loss is equivocal (5) , evidence suggests that dieting is reliably associated with a range of impairments in cognitive function. For instance, dieting has been associated with slower reaction speed, impaired verbal memory and an impaired ability to sustain attention (6,7) . A number of studies have indicated that this pattern of impaired task performance is primarily due to a reduction in available working memory capacity (8 -11) , which is primarily due to preoccupying cognitions relating to hunger (8) and body shape-related self-esteem (12,13) . This is important, since working memory is the primary cognitive domain, controlling moment-to-moment rules of action, planning ability and the short-term retention of information. The most commonly accepted model of working memory (14) proposes a tripartite system comprising a phonological loop (controlling verbal short-term memory), a visuospatial sketchpad (controlling visual memory) and an overarching supervisory system known as the 'central executive'.It has also been found that the way in which weight loss is attempted influences cognitive function, ...

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“…Self-reported dieting or caloric restriction has been associated with deficits in cognitive performance (e.g., memory and concentration deficits) (29,39). Nevertheless, cognitive impairment is frequently mediated by preoccupation with food and body weight (38), suggesting that obsessive thoughts about food and weight, rather than CR, negatively affect cognitive performance.…”

Section: Cognitive Function and Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

Caloric Restriction in Humans: Impact on Physiological, Psychological, and Behavioral Outcomes

Redman

Ravussin

2011

Antioxidants & Redox Signaling

252

178

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The current societal environment is marked by overabundant accessibility of food coupled with a strong trend of reduced physical activity, both leading to the development of a constellation of disorders, including central obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension (metabolic syndrome). Prolonged calorie restriction (CR) has been shown to extend both the median and maximal lifespan in a variety of lower species such as yeast, worms, fish, rats, and mice. Mechanisms of this CR-mediated lifespan extension are not fully elucidated, but possibly involve significant alterations in energy metabolism, oxidative damage, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and functional changes in both the neuroendocrine and sympathetic nervous systems. Here we review some of the major physiological, psychological, and behavioral changes after 6 months of CR in overweight otherwise healthy volunteers. Special emphasis is given to the first completed clinical studies that have investigated the effects of controlled, high-quality energy-restricted diets on both biomarkers of longevity and on the development of chronic diseases related to age in humans. With the incremental expansion of research endeavors in the area of energy or caloric restriction, data on the effects of CR in animal models and human subjects are becoming more accessible.

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Relationship between dieting to lose weight and the functioning of the central executive

Cited by 48 publications

References 35 publications

Components of attentional bias for food cues among restrained eaters

Components of attentional bias for food cues among restrained eaters

Are dieting-related cognitive impairments a function of iron status?

Caloric Restriction in Humans: Impact on Physiological, Psychological, and Behavioral Outcomes

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