Neural mechanisms of food preference and reward processing: a review of multifaceted influencing factors and intervention strategies

Food preference and reward processing are crucial determinants of dietary behavior and energy balance, and their dysregulation is closely linked to major public health problems such as obesity and eating disorders. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on the cognitive and neural foundations of food preference and reward processing, examines multi-level determinants ranging from individual biology to broader social context, and discusses major intervention strategies. Research in cognitive neuroscience points to a distributed network involving the midbrain dopamine system, prefrontal cortex, amygdala, insula, and hypothalamus, which together regulate food "wanting" and "liking" as well as related processes of valuation, decision-making, and inhibitory control. These mechanisms are further shaped by genetic susceptibility, physiological state, developmental stage, stress, socioeconomic conditions, social learning, and cultural context. Building on this framework, current interventions target different components of the reward-control system, including appetite and gut-brain signaling (e.g., GLP-1-based approaches), cognitive control and behavioral regulation, and post-surgical changes in hormonal and neural responses. We also highlight emerging digital and real-world intervention models, including personalized and just-in-time approaches, while noting that their evidence base remains developing. Overall, this review emphasizes the need for integrative, mechanistically informed, and personalized strategies to improve dietary health.