Effects of relaxing music on food-related inhibitory control: A randomized crossover trial

Inhibitory control (IC) is a core executive function for resisting food cues in obesogenic environments, with impairments contributing to maladaptive eating behaviors. Although music modulates emotion and cognitive performance, its effect on food-related IC remains unclear. This study investigated whether brief exposure to relaxing music improves food-related IC. In a randomized crossover design using a remote supervised procedure, 46 adults (mean age 32.4 ± 6.4 years) completed two audiovisual conditions, separated by a washout period: a relaxing musical piece and an active control (painting video). Following each condition, participants performed a Go/No-Go task assessing response inhibition to high-calorie food and non-food cues. Subjective ratings of valence, arousal, pleasantness and familiarity were collected after each block. There was no significant main effect of condition on IC (music vs. control). The music condition, however, was rated as more pleasant and decreased arousal level compared to the control. In an exploratory subgroup analysis, participants who exhibited a reduction in arousal following the music condition committed fewer commission errors than participants who did not show such arousal reductions. These hypothesis-generating findings suggest emotional arousal regulation, rather than music exposure per se, as a potential mechanism linking music to self-control in eating contexts. Replication with larger samples is warranted.