Obesity and eating disorders: Cognitive aspects of food preference and food aversion

Abstract

Food choices in obesity and eating disorders are influenced by a number of metabolic, psychological, and sociocultural variables. Whereas obese patients often seek out fat-rich foods, anorectic women tend to avoid them. Clinical studies suggest that cravings for palatable sweet desserts have a metabolic basis and may involve alterations in the endogenous opioid peptide system. Food preferences may also be influenced by metabolic status of the organism and the prior history of “yo-yo” dieting. Sensory responsiveness to sugar/fat mixtures may be further modified by subjects’ attitudes and beliefs regarding the nutritional value of foods, notably those rich in sugars and fats. Together with changing normative beliefs, attitudes toward calorie-dense foods can modulate the hedonic taste response and influence the patterns of food selection. © 1991, Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.