Stimulus control and affect in dietary behaviours. An intensive longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Behavioral science
• Nutritional psychology
• Public health

Background:

• Dietary behaviors are influenced by environmental and internal stimuli like mood and social context.
• Limited research exists on stimulus control for eating in general populations.
• Previous studies have not simultaneously examined eating and drinking behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of stimulus control in dietary behaviors (eating and drinking) in a non-clinical population.
• To identify situational and internal antecedents of eating and drinking events.
• To explore the relationship between affect, social factors, and dietary choices.

Main Methods:

• An intensive longitudinal study using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) with 53 general population participants.
• Real-time assessments of eating (meals, snacks) and drinking (alcoholic, non-alcoholic) events.
• Simultaneous assessment of situational/internal stimuli and comparison with non-eating occasions using hierarchical models.

Main Results:

• Meals and snacks were associated with food availability and observing others eat.
• Negative affect, food availability, and social cues predicted snacking.
• Activities and social company reduced the likelihood of eating.
• Non-alcoholic drinks linked to social cues and fewer activities; alcoholic drinks linked to lower negative affect/arousal and social cues.

Conclusions:

• Stimulus control, encompassing internal (affect) and external (availability, social) factors, plays a significant role in dietary behaviors.
• Findings support the concept of comfort eating driven by negative affect.
• Results suggest that eating habits are formed through cue-behavior associations, highlighting the impact of environmental triggers.