Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 23, 2025

Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice
Published on: June 5, 2016
Contribution of executive functions to eating behaviours in obesity and eating disorders
Mara Segura-Serralta1, Sonia Ciscar2, Lorena Blasco2
1University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Background:
Patients with eating disorders (ED) or obesity show difficulties in tasks assessing decision-making, set-shifting abilities and central coherence.
Aims:
The aim of this study was to explore executive functions in eating and weight-related problems, ranging from restricting types of ED to obesity.
Method:
Two hundred and eighty-eight female participants (75 with obesity; 149 with ED: 76 with restrictive eating, 73 with bingeing-purging symptoms; and 64 healthy controls) were administered the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Iowa Gambling Task, and the Group Embedded Figures Test to assess set-shifting, decision-making and central coherence, respectively.
Results:
Participants with either obesity or ED performed poorly on tests measuring executive functioning compared with healthy controls, even after controlling for age and intelligence. Both participants with obesity and participants with ED showed a preference for global information processing.
Conclusions:
The findings suggest that treatments for obesity and ED would benefit from addressing difficulties in cognitive functioning, in addition to the more evident clinical symptoms related to eating, body weight and shape.
Related Concept Videos
Binge Eating Disorders
Bulimia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Regulation of Food Intake
Self-Regulation
Self-Discrepancy Theory

