A randomized experiment of the effects of food advertisements on food-related emotional expectancies in adults

Food-related emotional expectancies influence food intake, yet little is known about their determinants. The present study objectives were to experimentally test how food advertisements affect food-related emotional expectancies in adults and whether effects differed by individual levels of “food addiction” symptoms. Participants (n = 718; M(age) = 35.88, 36.8% with food addiction) were randomly assigned to watch video advertisements for highly processed foods, minimally processed foods, both food groups, or cellphones (control). Participants completed an attention check and questionnaires including the Anticipated Effects of Food Scale. Main effects of condition were non-significant. In participants with fewer symptoms of food addiction, watching video advertisements for highly processed foods increased expectancies that one would feel positive emotions while eating those foods, B(SE) = 0.40(0.16), p = 0.016, 95% CI (0.08, 0.72), ΔR(2) = 0.03. Highly processed food advertisements may affect food-related emotional expectancies in adults who have not previously formed strong expectancies.