Sensitization and habituation of motivated behavior in overweight and non-overweight children
Leonard H Epstein, Jodie L Robinson, Jennifer L Temple, James N Roemmich, Angela Marusewski, Rachel Nadbrzuch, Leonard H Epstein, Jodie L Robinson, Jennifer L Temple, James N Roemmich, Angela Marusewski, Rachel Nadbrzuch
Abstract
The rate of habituation to food is inversely related to energy intake, and overweight children may habituate slower to food and consume more energy. This study compared patterns of sensitization, as defined by an initial increase in operant or motivated responding for food, and habituation, defined by gradual reduction in responding, for macaroni and cheese and pizza in overweight and non-overweight 8-12 year-old children. Non-overweight children habituated faster to both foods than overweight children (p = 0.03). All children recovered motivated responding for a new food (chocolate). Overweight children consumed more energy than non-overweight children (p = 0.0004). Children who showed a sensitization in responding consumed more food (p = 0.001), and sensitization moderated the effect of overweight on habituation, with slower habituation for overweight children who sensitized (p < 0.0001). This study replicates previous data on overweight/non-overweight differences in habituation of food and of energy intake, and provides new information that individual differences in sensitization and habituation of motivated responding to food cues may be associated with a sustained motivation to eat, resulting in greater energy intake.
Figures
![Figure 1](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/2597853/bin/nihms-63974-f0001.jpg)
![Figure 2](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/2597853/bin/nihms-63974-f0002.jpg)
Figure 3
Motivated responding (mean ± SEM)…
Figure 3
Motivated responding (mean ± SEM) on variable ratio 120 second schedules of reinforcement…
Figure 4
Motivated responding (mean ± SEM)…
Figure 4
Motivated responding (mean ± SEM) on variable ratio 120 second schedules of reinforcement…
Figure 5
Energy consumption (mean ± SEM)…
Figure 5
Energy consumption (mean ± SEM) for overweight and non-overweight subjects who sensitized and…
- Food reinforcement and habituation to food are processes related to initiation and cessation of eating.Epstein LH, Carr KA. Epstein LH, et al. Physiol Behav. 2021 Oct 1;239:113512. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113512. Epub 2021 Jul 1. Physiol Behav. 2021. PMID: 34217735 Free PMC article. Review.
- Variety influences habituation of motivated behavior for food and energy intake in children.Epstein LH, Robinson JL, Temple JL, Roemmich JN, Marusewski AL, Nadbrzuch RL. Epstein LH, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Mar;89(3):746-54. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2008.26911. Epub 2009 Jan 28. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009. PMID: 19176724 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
- What constitutes food variety? Stimulus specificity of food.Epstein LH, Robinson JL, Roemmich JN, Marusewski AL, Roba LG. Epstein LH, et al. Appetite. 2010 Feb;54(1):23-9. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2009.09.001. Epub 2009 Sep 16. Appetite. 2010. PMID: 19765625 Free PMC article.
- Habituation and within-session changes in motivated responding for food in children.Temple JL, Giacomelli AM, Roemmich JN, Epstein LH. Temple JL, et al. Appetite. 2008 Mar-May;50(2-3):390-6. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2007.09.005. Epub 2007 Sep 21. Appetite. 2008. PMID: 17961817 Free PMC article.
- Habituation as a determinant of human food intake.Epstein LH, Temple JL, Roemmich JN, Bouton ME. Epstein LH, et al. Psychol Rev. 2009 Apr;116(2):384-407. doi: 10.1037/a0015074. Psychol Rev. 2009. PMID: 19348547 Free PMC article. Review.
- Food reinforcement and habituation to food are processes related to initiation and cessation of eating.Epstein LH, Carr KA. Epstein LH, et al. Physiol Behav. 2021 Oct 1;239:113512. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113512. Epub 2021 Jul 1. Physiol Behav. 2021. PMID: 34217735 Free PMC article. Review.
- Rationale and protocol for translating basic habituation research into family-based childhood obesity treatment: Families becoming healthy together study.Douglas SM, Hawkins GM, Berlin KS, Crouter SE, Epstein LH, Thomas JG, Raynor HA. Douglas SM, et al. Contemp Clin Trials. 2020 Nov;98:106153. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2020.106153. Epub 2020 Sep 17. Contemp Clin Trials. 2020. PMID: 32950645 Free PMC article.
- High reinforcing value of food is related to slow habituation to food.Epstein LH, Carr KA, O'Brien A, Paluch RA, Temple JL. Epstein LH, et al. Eat Behav. 2020 Aug;38:101414. doi: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2020.101414. Epub 2020 Jul 29. Eat Behav. 2020. PMID: 32799072 Free PMC article.
- ERP and oscillatory differences in overweight/obese and normal-weight adolescents in response to food stimuli.Biehl SC, Keil J, Naumann E, Svaldi J. Biehl SC, et al. J Eat Disord. 2020 Apr 7;8:14. doi: 10.1186/s40337-020-00290-8. eCollection 2020. J Eat Disord. 2020. PMID: 32280464 Free PMC article.
- The relationships between eating disorder pathology and relative reinforcing value of food, delay discounting, and related constructs in adolescents.Balantekin KN, Ziegler AM, Crandall AK, Temple JL. Balantekin KN, et al. Appetite. 2020 May 1;148:104576. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2019.104576. Epub 2019 Dec 23. Appetite. 2020. PMID: 31875519 Free PMC article.
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![Figure 3](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/2597853/bin/nihms-63974-f0003.jpg)
Figure 4
Motivated responding (mean ± SEM)…
Figure 4
Motivated responding (mean ± SEM) on variable ratio 120 second schedules of reinforcement…
Figure 5
Energy consumption (mean ± SEM)…
Figure 5
Energy consumption (mean ± SEM) for overweight and non-overweight subjects who sensitized and…
- Food reinforcement and habituation to food are processes related to initiation and cessation of eating.Epstein LH, Carr KA. Epstein LH, et al. Physiol Behav. 2021 Oct 1;239:113512. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113512. Epub 2021 Jul 1. Physiol Behav. 2021. PMID: 34217735 Free PMC article. Review.
- Variety influences habituation of motivated behavior for food and energy intake in children.Epstein LH, Robinson JL, Temple JL, Roemmich JN, Marusewski AL, Nadbrzuch RL. Epstein LH, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Mar;89(3):746-54. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2008.26911. Epub 2009 Jan 28. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009. PMID: 19176724 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
- What constitutes food variety? Stimulus specificity of food.Epstein LH, Robinson JL, Roemmich JN, Marusewski AL, Roba LG. Epstein LH, et al. Appetite. 2010 Feb;54(1):23-9. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2009.09.001. Epub 2009 Sep 16. Appetite. 2010. PMID: 19765625 Free PMC article.
- Habituation and within-session changes in motivated responding for food in children.Temple JL, Giacomelli AM, Roemmich JN, Epstein LH. Temple JL, et al. Appetite. 2008 Mar-May;50(2-3):390-6. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2007.09.005. Epub 2007 Sep 21. Appetite. 2008. PMID: 17961817 Free PMC article.
- Habituation as a determinant of human food intake.Epstein LH, Temple JL, Roemmich JN, Bouton ME. Epstein LH, et al. Psychol Rev. 2009 Apr;116(2):384-407. doi: 10.1037/a0015074. Psychol Rev. 2009. PMID: 19348547 Free PMC article. Review.
- Food reinforcement and habituation to food are processes related to initiation and cessation of eating.Epstein LH, Carr KA. Epstein LH, et al. Physiol Behav. 2021 Oct 1;239:113512. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113512. Epub 2021 Jul 1. Physiol Behav. 2021. PMID: 34217735 Free PMC article. Review.
- Rationale and protocol for translating basic habituation research into family-based childhood obesity treatment: Families becoming healthy together study.Douglas SM, Hawkins GM, Berlin KS, Crouter SE, Epstein LH, Thomas JG, Raynor HA. Douglas SM, et al. Contemp Clin Trials. 2020 Nov;98:106153. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2020.106153. Epub 2020 Sep 17. Contemp Clin Trials. 2020. PMID: 32950645 Free PMC article.
- High reinforcing value of food is related to slow habituation to food.Epstein LH, Carr KA, O'Brien A, Paluch RA, Temple JL. Epstein LH, et al. Eat Behav. 2020 Aug;38:101414. doi: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2020.101414. Epub 2020 Jul 29. Eat Behav. 2020. PMID: 32799072 Free PMC article.
- ERP and oscillatory differences in overweight/obese and normal-weight adolescents in response to food stimuli.Biehl SC, Keil J, Naumann E, Svaldi J. Biehl SC, et al. J Eat Disord. 2020 Apr 7;8:14. doi: 10.1186/s40337-020-00290-8. eCollection 2020. J Eat Disord. 2020. PMID: 32280464 Free PMC article.
- The relationships between eating disorder pathology and relative reinforcing value of food, delay discounting, and related constructs in adolescents.Balantekin KN, Ziegler AM, Crandall AK, Temple JL. Balantekin KN, et al. Appetite. 2020 May 1;148:104576. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2019.104576. Epub 2019 Dec 23. Appetite. 2020. PMID: 31875519 Free PMC article.
- Full Text Sources
- Medical
![Figure 4](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/2597853/bin/nihms-63974-f0004.jpg)
Figure 5
Energy consumption (mean ± SEM)…
Figure 5
Energy consumption (mean ± SEM) for overweight and non-overweight subjects who sensitized and…
![Figure 5](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/instance/2597853/bin/nihms-63974-f0005.jpg)
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