Attention Control in Presence of Food Cues in Restrained and Unrestrained Eaters

INTRODUCTION: This research tries to study the relation between dietary restraint and attention control in females admitted to diet therapy clinics in Kerman County. METHODS: Participants were all female subjects who had been admitted to diet therapy clinics in Kerman County. The sample size included 80 women between ages of 15 to 50 years. Participants were selected through convenience sampling. All participants were asked to fill out the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire and respond to Stroop task software. RESULTS: The restrained eaters’ reaction time towards food stimuli was higher than that of unrestrained eaters. The reaction time in Stroop effect condition in restrained eaters was higher than that of unrestrained eaters. In restrained eaters, the reaction time in presence of food stimuli was higher than the condition in which non-food stimuli were presented. In presence of food stimuli, the reaction time in Stroop effect condition was higher than non-Stroop effect. Finally, it was determined that in non-Stroop conditions compared to Stroop conditions, strained eaters had a higher reaction time in presence of food stimuli than the condition in which non-food stimuli were presented. CONCLUSION: These findings verify the role of attention bias in reaction to food stimuli in restrained eaters and they suggest that diet success relies on avoiding interactions related to food.