High-calorie food-cues impair working memory performance in high and low food cravers

The experience of food craving can lead to cognitive impairments. Experimentally induced chocolate craving exhausts cognitive resources and, therefore, impacts working memory, particularly in trait chocolate cravers. In the current study, we investigated the effects of exposure to food-cues on working memory task performance in a group with frequent and intense (high cravers, n = 28) and less pronounced food cravings (low cravers, n = 28). Participants performed an n-back task that contained either pictures of high-calorie sweets, high-calorie savory foods, or neutral objects. Current subjective food craving was assessed before and after the task. All participants showed slower reaction times and made more omission errors in response to food-cues, particularly savory foods. There were no differences in task performance between groups. State cravings did not differ between groups before the task, but increased more in high cravers compared to low cravers during the task. Results support findings about food cravings impairing visuo-spatial working memory performance independent of trait cravings. They further show that this influence is not restricted to chocolate, but also applies to high-calorie savory foods. Limiting working memory capacity may be especially crucial in persons who are more prone to high-calorie food-cues and experience such cravings habitually.

• Participants performed an n-back task with food and neutral stimuli.
• Longer reaction times and more omission errors were found in response to savory food compared with neutral stimuli.
• High and low food cravers did not differ in task performance.
• Performing the task induced stronger food cravings in high food cravers.
• High-calorie food cues induce craving and impair working memory performance.