Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 29, 2025
04:48
Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System
Published on: May 8, 2018
11.2K
Rumination and Worry Selectively Modulate Total Calorie Consumption within an Online, Nudge Tactic Paradigm
Timothy M Eschle1, Sarah P Wale1, Dane McCarrick2
1Department of Psychology, School of Education and Social Sciences, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley PA1 2BE, UK.
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 24, 2022
Summary
Perseverative cognition, including rumination and worry, influences eating behaviors. This study found that limiting high-calorie snack availability improved choices, but higher rumination increased overall calorie intake, while worry decreased it.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Perseverative cognition, encompassing rumination and worry, is linked to health risk behaviors.
- Understanding the impact of repetitive negative thoughts on eating is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how perseverative cognition (rumination and worry) influences food choices and consumption in an online snack paradigm.
- To examine the effect of snack availability ratios on eating behavior.
Main Methods:
- Participants were assigned to either an even (3:3) or uneven (4:2) ratio of low-to-high calorie snacks.
- Snack choices and consumption were recorded after participants viewed images of sweet treats.
- Perseverative cognition was measured using the Ultra-Brief Penn State Worry Questionnaire (UB-PSWQ) and the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS).
Main Results:
- Reducing the availability of higher-calorie snacks improved snack selection and decreased total calorie consumption.
- Rumination and worry did not influence the type of snack chosen.
- Higher levels of rumination correlated with significantly higher overall calorie consumption.
- Higher levels of worry were unexpectedly associated with significantly lower overall calorie consumption.
Conclusions:
- Perseverative cognition plays a role in food consumption, with implications for public health strategies.
- While limiting high-calorie options can improve dietary choices, the specific cognitive processes of rumination and worry have differential effects on overall intake.
- Further research is needed to clarify whether rumination directly causes unhealthy eating or amplifies existing tendencies.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Self-Regulation
11
Self-regulation, also known as self-control, encompasses a range of cognitive and behavioral processes that allow individuals to adjust their internal states and outward actions to align with socially acceptable norms and long-term goals. It plays a fundamental role in adaptive functioning, from resisting impulsive behaviors to persisting through challenging tasks. While its benefits are widely recognized, self-regulation is not limitless. Muraven and Baumeister's theory posits that...
11
01:30Regulation of Food Intake
696
Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
696
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
18.5K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
18.5K
01:19Energy Balance
594
The human body gets energy from the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Energy is released when the chemical bonds in the organic compounds present in the food are broken down. The energy content of food is measured in kilocalories (kcal), defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. This value is determined by measuring the temperature change of the water surrounding a calorimeter after the complete...
594
01:31Confirmation Biases
7.3K
The confirmation bias is the tendency to focus on information that confirms our existing beliefs and ignore information that is inconsistent with our expectations. For example, if you think that your professor is not very nice, you notice all of the instances of rude behavior exhibited by the professor while ignoring the countless pleasant interactions he is involved in on a daily basis. Have you ever fallen prey to the confirmation bias, either as the source or target of such bias?
7.3K
01:29The Influence of Cognition on Affect
7
Cognition plays a pivotal role in shaping emotional experiences, as demonstrated by Schachter and Singer’s two-factor theory of emotion. According to this model, emotion arises from a combination of physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation. The body’s physiological response to stimuli is ambiguous and only gains emotional significance through cognitive labeling. For instance, an increased heart rate and adrenaline surge while standing near an attractive person may be...
7