Hedonic Hunger, Disinhibited Eating, and the Physiological Impact of Palatable Food: A Study of Heart Rate Variability

Abstract

Hedonic hunger and disinhibited eating behaviors, such as loss of control eating and eating in the absence of hunger, represent increased motivation for food and susceptibility towards overeating and are associated with a range of adverse physical and psychological outcomes. The persisting prevalence of these symptoms suggests limited efficacy of current prevention efforts and establishes the need for the identification of additional risk and maintenance factors. Heart rate variability (HRV) has been established as a measure of biological responsiveness and psychological well-being and may function as a physiological marker of food responsivity. Preliminary evidence has identified associations between reduced HRV and eating disorder symptoms, suggesting that eating pathology may be associated with different physiological responses to food. The current study sought to replicate and extend previous findings by employing HRV as a measure of arousal in response to food presentation across different hunger conditions in healthy adults. We examined relationships between multiple indices of HRV (HF, LF, LF/HF) and measures of hedonic hunger, loss of control eating, and eating in the absence of hunger. Results found similar patterns of HRV in response to food exposure and intake as previous research in nonclinical samples, with reduced HF HRV during food exposure and food intake and increased HF HRV following food intake. Although there was a marginally significant interaction between hedonic hunger and PFS, subsequent analyses found no relationship between HRV and PFS, LOC or EAH. Limitations and implications of the study are discussed.Ph.D., Psychology -- Drexel University, 201