Approach and inhibition responses to external food cues among average-weight women who binge eat and weight-matched controls

Despite laboratory evidence linking impulsivity to binge-eating (BE) among people with obesity, it is unclear whether such inhibitory control deficits extend to average-weight persons who binge eat or influence actual calories consumed when such opportunities present. Towards clarifying these issues, women with higher (n = 31) and lower (n = 31) BE levels engaged in a visual Go/No-Go task comprising images of high-calorie foods, low-calorie foods, and household objects, after which they completed a self-report battery in an environment conducive to snacking. Analyses indicated these groups did not differ in task-based false alarm rates (i.e., responding when response inhibition was required) but the higher BE group reported more trait-based impulsivity, was faster and more accurate in responding to “Go” trials involving high-calorie food images, and was more likely to eat at least one snack during post-task questionnaire completion. Within the entire sample, faster “Go” trial reaction times and higher false alarm rates across image types predicted higher post-task calorie intake levels while BE status and trait impulsivity did not. In sum, average weight women who binge eat were more responsive to high calorie food cues but showed no evidence of behavioral inhibitory control deficits compared to weight-matched controls.