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Relating goal-directed behaviour to grazing in persons with obesity with and without eating disorder features
This 2020 study explored the possible relationship between grazing (eating frequent snacks at irregular intervals) and goal-directed behavior. Grazing is an eating style common in obesity and eating disorders, which are both linked with less purposeful, flexible goal-directed behavior. This experiment was carried out on participants with obesity and significant eating disorder features, other obese individuals without marked eating disorder features, and healthy-weight controls (age- and sex-matched). The group with obesity and signs of eating disorder showed the lowest action-outcome contingency sensitivity out of all three groups. There was a small but significant link between grazing severity and contingency sensitivity in the group with obesity and eating disorder features. It appears that increased grazing severity correlates with less diminished contingency sensitivity. In conclusion, obese people with eating disorder attributes may have less flexible and adaptive instrumental behaviors. Although grazing has poor long-term implications, it may be a goal-directed behavior within this group of individuals with obesity and hints of eating disorder. [NPID: eating disorder, grazing, snacks, obesity, obese, overweight, snacking, behavior]
Year: 2020
