Dietary disinhibition modulates neural valuation of food in the fed and fasted states

Abstract

Background: Dietary disinhibition is a behavioral trait associated with weight gain and obesity. Because food choices are made according to the relative value assigned to each option, examination of valuation signals through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) may elucidate the neural basis for the association between dietary disinhibition and weight gain. Objective: We examined how food valuation signals differ in the fed and fasted states between persons with high dietary disinhibition (HD) and low dietary disinhibition (LD). Design: Sixteen men with HD and 14 with LD underwent fMRI once while fasted and once after being fed in a counterbalanced order. In-scanner preference to consume a test food relative to a neutral-tasting, neutral-health reference food was examined. The slope of magnetic resonance signal change corresponding to these food preferences constituted the food valuation signal that was compared across disinhibition group and satiety state. Results: Both the HD and LD participants reported being less hungry (F(1,28) = 113.11, P