Domain‐specific relationships between cognitive control and disordered eating attitudes
Authors: Edwards Caitlyn , Walk Anne , Thompson Sharon , Mullen Sean , Holscher Hannah , Khan Naiman 
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Cognitive control comprises a set of mental operations vital for regulation of eating behaviors. Previous work indicates that impairment in cognitive control, particularly cognitive flexibility, is a trait characteristic among patients with diagnosed eating disorders. However, this work has largely remained limited to non‐obese and female populations. This is concerning because disordered eating attitudes and behaviors are evident among the general population and are often under diagnosed in overweight/obese and male individuals. Elucidating the relationship between eating attitudes and cognitive control processes may provide information on the cognitive underpinnings of eating behavior regulation and inform future therapeutic approaches to improving adherence to healthful diet habits in the general population.

Methods

Data were collected from 85 adults (Age= 34.0 ± 5.8 years, 35 males, BMI= 30.7 ± 6.5 kg/m2). Disordered eating Attitudes were assessed using the Eating Attitudes Test‐26 (EAT‐26). Components of cognitive control including selective attention, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility were assessed through a modified flanker, Go/NoGo task, and switch tasks, respectively. Covariate assessment included age, sex, intellectual ability (IQ) via the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, diet quality, and BMI (kg/m2). Habitual diet intake was measured using the National Cancer Institute's Food Frequency Questionnaire and overall diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI‐2010).

Results

No significant differences in Eat‐26 score or cognitive performance were observed between males and females. Following adjustment of age, sex, IQ, HEI‐2010 total score, and BMI, higher EAT‐26 scores were positively associated with reaction time during the homogenous conditions (r= .317, p= .005) and reaction time during switch trials in the heterogeneous condition (r= .244, p= .034) suggesting that increasing risk for disordered eating was related to poorer cognitive flexibility. Further, EAT‐26 scores were related to reaction time during the congruent trials of the flanker task (r=.247, p=.038). However, no significant correlations were observed for incongruent trials during the flanker task nor the Go/NoGo task (all ps>0.85).

Conclusion

These findings are consistent with previous work relating disordered eating attitudes to cognitive flexibility. However, this study is among the first to reveal that this selective relationship extends to the general population and is independent of general intellectual abilities, sex, diet quality, and weight status. These findings are important since deficits in cognitive flexibility may contribute to behavioral rigidity which contributes to maintenance of abnormal eating patterns and difficulty to follow a healthful diet pattern. Ongoing work is examining the specific EAT‐26 subscales (dieting, oral control, and bulimia/food preoccupation) contributing to the results.

Support or Funding Information

Funded by the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health at the University of Illinois and the Hass Avocado Board.