Interoception, eating behaviour and body weight

Interoception, defined as the awareness and recognition of internal body signals, is a potentially modifiable contributor to appetite regulation and weight gain. In this study by Robinson et al. (2021), the authors investigate how the relationship between the degree of self-reported interoception and BMI is described through eating behavioral traits. 1,181 participants (49% female, 53% overweight/obese) submitted validated self-reports on interoception measures, dietary habits guiding satiety signals, feedback eating (intuitive eating), emotional over-eating, and several other eating traits. Analysis of the results demonstrated that poor interoception was significantly associated with high BMI, which is explained by how individuals who have poor interoception were less responsive to satiety signals when eating. In addition, the results demonstrated a degree of evidence supporting the finding of how individuals with poor interoception were more likely to indulge in emotional overeating, which further explained how poorer interoceptive accuracy is linked to higher BMI. In conclusion, the authors comment that a lack of interoception could obstruct satiety signal perception, which becomes integral to an individual’s dietary habits and decision making, and ultimately plays a role in elevating BMI. [NPID: Adult eating behaviour, BMI, interoception, intuitive eating, obesity]

Year: 2021

Reference: Robinson, E., Marty, L., Higgs, S., & Jones, A. (2021). Interoception, eating behaviour and body weight. Physiology & behavior, 237, 113434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113434

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