Food-Related Cue Reactivity and Inhibitory Control in Individuals with Overweight and Obesity

Obesity is an ever-increasing global health problem. In step with the global obesity rates, the rate for comorbidities also increases, leading to higher rates of disability and mortality (Chong et al., 2023). Consequently, the development of effective weight loss interventions is of great importance. However, research shows, that most of the current weight loss programs have a low success rate, especially in the long term (Machado et al., 2022; Athanasiadis et al., 2021). To improve these interventions, a deeper understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying obesity is essential. Key factors contributing to obesity include both the kind of food that is consumed, as well as the amount (WHO, n.d.). Previous research has already shown that there are relevant differences between individuals with regards to food-related behaviours and experiences (e.g. craving) that relate do weight gain (Boswell & Kober, 2016). Relevant behaviour patterns can be operationalised as cue reactivity and inhibition control (Lüscher et al., 2020). Despite their relevance, research on the two behaviours remains largely disconnected, and their joint consideration in an integrative review is still lacking. Furthermore, the power of the results of individual studies could be increased by systematically reviewing the results. Therefore, the current study will organize previous findings regarding cue reactivity and inhibitory control towards food cues in individuals with obesity in the form of a meta-analysis. Specifically, this meta-analysis aims to integrate evidence on cue reactivity and inhibitory control in individuals with obesity, with particular focus on how binge eating disorder (BED) and food addiction (FA) may moderate these processes. Understanding these mechanisms could inform the development of targeted behavioural and cognitive interventions for obesity treatment. Literature Athanasiadis, D. I., Martin, A., Kapsampelis, P., Monfared, S., & Stefanidis, D. (2021). Factors associated with weight regain post-bariatric surgery: a systematic review. Surgical endoscopy, 35(8), 4069–4084. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-021-08329-w Boswell, R. G., & Kober, H. (2016). Food cue reactivity and craving predict eating and weight gain: a meta-analytic review. Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 17(2), 159–177. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12354 Chong, B., Jayabaskaran, J., Kong, G., Chan, Y. H., Chin, Y. H., Goh, R., ... & Chew, N. W. (2023). Trends and predictions of malnutrition and obesity in 204 countries and territories: an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. EClinicalMedicine, 57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.101850 Lüscher, C., Robbins, T. W., & Everitt, B. J. (2020). The transition to compulsion in addiction. Nat Rev Neurosci.(21(5)), 247–263. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-020-0289-z Machado, A. M., Guimarães, N. S., Bocardi, V. B., da Silva, T. P. R., do Carmo, A. S., de Menezes, M. C., & Duarte, C. K. (2022). Understanding weight regain after a nutritional weight loss intervention: systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical nutrition ESPEN, 49, 138-153.DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnesp.2022.03.020 World Health Organization (n.d.) Obesity and overweight. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight, accessed 07 October 2025)