Restrained eaters preserve top–down attentional control in the presence of food

This study investigated the attentional control of restrained eaters when exposed to food. Restrained (N = 55) and unrestrained eaters (N = 56) completed a color word Stroop task. Top–down attentional control was assessed by adaptation effects (the Stroop effect is smaller when the previous trial is an incongruent color word than a congruent color word). Adaptation effects differed between restrained and unrestrained eaters according to the type of background image presented (high-fat food vs. non-food). Specifically, in restrained eaters adaptation effects did not differ as a function of image. In contrast, adaptation effects in unrestrained eaters were not observed with high-fat food. Motivation to either approach or avoid food may explain these differences.

► Adaptation effects were used to measure attentional control.
► High-fat food and neutral images were used in a Stroop task.
► Restrained eaters maintain attentional control in high-fat food images.
► Unrestrained eaters do not maintain attentional control in high-fat food images.