Hedonic hunger is related to increased neural and perceptual responses to cues of palatable food and motivation to consume: Evidence from 3 independent investigations

Here, Burger et al. (2016) analyzes the construct of hedonic hunger (high appetitive drive in response to food cues) using the data taken from 3 separate studies. The plan was to identify correlations between the Power of Food Scale (PFS) scores and neural responsivities during consumption, with perceptual hedonic (pleasure) ratings of food images, the anticipated intake level of palatable foods, behavioral food reinforcement, and changes in BMI and binge eating over time. The results indicated associations between hedonic hunger with behavioral food reinforcement, perceptual hedonic ratings, and also responses in the right and left postcentral gyrus’ (brain regions implicated in oral somatosensory processing during cue-elicited anticipation of food intake). Although hedonic hunger was not found to be linked with the participants’ BMI at baseline or with alterations in BMI over the 2-year follow-up, it was strongly correlated with binge eating at baseline (in 2 samples). To summarize, there is a high probability that people with high hedonic hunger show increased neural and perceptual responses to cues of palatable foods, already binge eat, and also have heightened drive to eat these tasty but unhealthy foods. [NPID: behavior, hedonic hunger, food cues, appetite, appetitive drive, pleasure, binge eating]

Year: 2016

Reference: Burger, K. S., Sanders, A. J., & Gilbert, J. R. (2016). Hedonic Hunger Is Related to Increased Neural and Perceptual Responses to Cues of Palatable Food and Motivation to Consume: Evidence from 3 Independent Investigations. The Journal of nutrition, 146(9), 1807–1812. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.116.231431