Neurobehavioral markers of food preference and reward in fasted and fed states and their association with eating behaviors in young Chinese adults

Adverse neurobehavioral responses to food could be one of the contributing factors to obesity in China, which is a major public health issue. There is a need for methodologies to better understand the cognitive processes and neural mechanisms underlying eating behaviors. This study investigated neurobehavioral markers of food preference and reward in pre- and post-meal states, and their association with eating behaviors in young Chinese adults. Chinese adults (N = 80: 39 male) completed the Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire (LFPQ-CH), and a Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) Visual Food Cues Paradigm before and after an ad libitum test meal. The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) and VAS appetite scores were used to measure appetitive traits and states. Results showed that categorisation of foods along dimensions of sweetness and fat content were valid for the general population in China. Changes in food preferences and increased dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activation to high-fat savoury (HFSA) food were shown following a test meal. LFPQ-CH and fNIRS variables were able to predict unique variance in ad libitum food intake and DEBQ traits. The current results support the use of LFPQ-CH with fNIRS as valid and complementary tools for the neurobehavioral evaluation of food reward and preference. This methodological approach is sensitive to changes in appetitive state; can differentiate along the spectrum of eating behaviour traits and is predictive of food intake.