Automatic attentional bias toward high-calorie food cues and body shape concerns in individuals with a high level of weight suppression: Preliminary findings

This study aimed to investigate differences in attentional processes in response to food cues and body shape concerns according to an individual's level of weight suppression. Among 470 women in their 20s, nonobese participants (body mass index [BMI] <25 kg/m2) were divided into two groups according to weight history. If the difference between their highest weight ever and current weight was greater than 10%, they were assigned to the high level of weight suppression (H-WS) group (n = 24); if it was less than 5%, they were assigned to the low level of weight suppression (L-WS) group (n = 29). Self-reported body shape concerns and bulimia nervosa symptoms were assessed. Visual attentional processes were recorded using an eye tracker while participants completed a free-viewing task composed of pairs of high- and low-calorie food cues. After controlling for current BMI, the H-WS group reported higher body shape concerns and higher levels of bulimia nervosa symptoms than did the L-WS group. In the free-viewing task, after controlling for current BMI, body shape concerns, and bulimia nervosa symptoms, the H-WS group had a significantly longer dwell time for high-calorie compared with lowcalorie food cues than did the L-WS group, and this difference was observed for the first 1000 ms. Compared with individuals with low weight suppression, the vulnerability to bulimia nervosa symptoms observed in individuals with high weight suppression may be associated with a higher automatic approach tendency toward high-calorie foods after adjusting for body shape concerns.