The phenomenology of food cravings

Weingarten, Harvey P.; Elston, Dawn

doi:10.1016/0195-6663(90)90023-2

Cited by 301 publications

(191 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…Nevertheless, in addition to the selectivity of cue-enhanced eating, there are other parallels between cue-induced consumption and food craving. For example, craving for food can be elicited by exposure to food cues [25,26], and cue-elicited craving is associated with binge eating [for reviews see 27,28]. Indeed, in our preparation, cue-induced enhancement of eating could be considered binging-sated rats consume large amounts of food pellets in a very short period of time.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Learned contextual cue potentiates eating in rats

Petrovich

Ross

Gallagher

et al. 2007

Physiology & Behavior

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Explicit cues associated with food consumption when hunger prevails will enhance eating when they are subsequently presented under conditions of satiety. Here we examined whether contextual conditioned stimuli (CSs) paired with consumption of food pellets while rats were food-deprived would enhance consumption of this food in rats that were not food-deprived. The conditioning context enhanced rats' consumption of the training food, but it did not change their consumption of the familiar, lab chow. These results show that the contextual CSs, like discrete cues, could modulate food consumption in a CS-potentiated eating paradigm. Furthermore, the data suggest that CSpotentiation of eating does not induce a general motivation to eat, akin to hunger, but instead more likely produces a more specific motivational state, akin to craving. Keywords appetite; conditioning; context; craving; eating; environment; obesity; overeating Eating is controlled not only by metabolic signals but also by a number of cues that are not related to energy balance [1]. For example, an auditory or visual conditioned stimulus (CS) that is paired with a food unconditioned stimulus (US) when rats are food-deprived will stimulate eating when they are food-sated [2]. A number of recent studies identified components of brain circuitry critical to the occurrence of this cue-potentiated eating [3][4][5][6][7]. However, those studies used a single training protocol, and only evaluated consumption of the food used as the US. In the experiment reported here, we extended the cue-potentiated eating procedure by using contextual cues to signal food availability, and by testing the ability of those cues to potentiate consumption of a familiar food other than the training food. This test procedure allowed us to determine if food-related cues enhance eating by inducing general motivation to consume any food, akin to hunger, or by stimulating consumption of the training food specifically, akin to appetite or craving. We first trained food-deprived rats to consume food pellets in the conditioning context. Rats in a control group were exposed to that context, but received the food pellets in their home cages. All rats were then sated, by ad libitum access to lab chow, and food consumption was tested in the conditioning context. The rats that were previously fed food pellets in the conditioning context when hungry consumed more of those same food pellets during tests compared to the control rats that were never fed in that context. By contrast, when presented with familiar, lab chow, in the conditioning context, all rats consumed similar, small amounts. Thus, our results suggest the mechanism that mediates cueCorrespondence should be addressed

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Unfortunately, there is no consensus definition of food craving, especially in animal models [25]. Nevertheless, in addition to the selectivity of cue-enhanced eating, there are other parallels between cue-induced consumption and food craving.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Learned contextual cue potentiates eating in rats

Petrovich

Ross

Gallagher

et al. 2007

Physiology & Behavior

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“…Food cravings, typically defined as 'an intense desire to eat a specific food' 1 have been reported in 52-97% of individuals studied. [2][3][4][5][6] The frequency, strength and types of food cravings have been found to differ between men and women, 6 different phases of the menstrual cycle 7 and in some cases with body mass index (BMI).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food cravings and energy regulation: the characteristics of craved foods and their relationship with eating behaviors and weight change during 6 months of dietary energy restriction

et al. 2007

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Objective: To examine characteristics of craved foods in relation to dietary energy restriction (ER) with high (HG) and low glycemic load (LG) diets. Design: Assessments of food cravings before and during a randomized controlled trial of HG and LG diets provided for 6 months. Subjects: Thirty-two healthy, overweight women aged 20-42 years. Measurements: Self-reported food cravings and dietary intake, body weight, weight history and measures of eating behaviors. Results: Foods craved at baseline were more than twice as high in energy density as the habitual diet (3.771.5 vs 1.770.3 kcal/ g; Po0.001), and on average were lower in protein (Po0.001) and fiber (Po0.001) and higher in fat (P ¼ 0.002). There were no statistically significant changes in nutritional characteristics of craved foods after 6 months of ER. There was a significant relationship between reported portion size of craved food consumed at baseline and lifetime high body mass index (r ¼ 0.49, P ¼ 0.005). Additionally, there was a significant association between susceptibility to hunger and craving frequency at baseline, and there were significant relationships between hunger score, craving frequency, strength and percentage of time that cravings are given in to after 6 months of ER. In multiple regression models, subjects who lost a greater percentage of weight craved higher energy-dense foods at month 6 of ER, but also reported giving in to food cravings less frequently (adjusted R 2 ¼ 0.31, P ¼ 0.009). Conclusion: High energy density and fat content, and low protein and fiber contents were identifying characteristics of craved foods. The relationships between craving variables and hunger score suggest that the relative influence of hunger susceptibility on cravings may be important before and especially after ER. Portion size of craved foods and frequency of giving in to food cravings appear to be important areas for focus in lifestyle modification programs for long-term weight loss.

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“…Thus food cravings refer to an intense desire or urge to eat a specific food (Weingarten & Elston, 1990), and it is this specificity that distinguishes a food craving from generalized hunger (Pelchat, 2002). In Western cultures by far the most commonly craved food, especially for women, is chocolate (Hetherington & Macdiarmid, 1993).…”

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confidence: 99%

Non-food odorants reduce chocolate cravings

2012

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The present study compared the relative effectiveness of simple, commercially available food and non-food olfactory tasks on chocolate craving reduction. Chocolate cravings were induced by a series of coloured photographs and 67 undergraduate women were asked to smell one of three odours (green apple, jasmine, or water). The non-food odorant (jasmine) significantly reduced chocolate cravings relative to both the food and control odorants. Thus simple non-food odorants offer potential scope as a technique for curbing unwanted food cravings.

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The phenomenology of food cravings

Cited by 301 publications

References 77 publications

Learned contextual cue potentiates eating in rats

Learned contextual cue potentiates eating in rats

Food cravings and energy regulation: the characteristics of craved foods and their relationship with eating behaviors and weight change during 6 months of dietary energy restriction

Non-food odorants reduce chocolate cravings

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