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A New Analysis on Self-Control in Intertemporal Choice and Mediterranean Dietary Pattern.
Brian C Howatt1, María José Muñoz Torrecillas2, Salvador Cruz Rambaud2
1Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States.
Frontiers in Public Health
|July 19, 2019
Summary
Higher adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) is linked to reduced impulsivity in financial decisions. This effect is more pronounced when considering smaller delayed rewards, suggesting a connection between diet and self-control.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Economics
- Nutritional Science
- Psychology
Background:
- Impulsivity in intertemporal choices is characterized by a preference for immediate over delayed rewards, quantified by the discount rate (k).
- Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) has been anecdotally linked to self-control, but its quantitative relationship with impulsivity requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively model and evaluate the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) and impulsivity in intertemporal choices.
- To analyze the interaction between MD adherence and reward magnitude on discount rates.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the KIDMED index to measure adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD), categorizing participants into high, medium, and low adherence groups.
- Employed a hyperbolic discount function to quantify impulsivity via the discount rate (k).
- Performed statistical analysis to assess the interaction between MD adherence and delayed reward magnitude.
Main Results:
- A significant interaction was found between MD adherence and the magnitude of delayed rewards in predicting discount rates.
- Increased adherence to the MD correlated with decreased impulsivity, particularly for smaller delayed rewards.
- Individuals with high MD adherence exhibited shallower discounting compared to those with low adherence.
Conclusions:
- Healthy dietary habits, specifically the Mediterranean Diet (MD), may be associated with enhanced self-control, especially in scenarios involving smaller immediate versus delayed rewards.
- The findings support a link between dietary patterns and executive functions like self-control, warranting further research.
- Causality has not been established; future studies should explore the directionality of this relationship for potential behavioral interventions.
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