The Impact of Negative Social Feedback on Wanting and Liking of Food Pictures in Anorexia Nervosa

Objective: Negative emotional states have been found to predict food cravings and consumption in the general population. People with a persistent tendency to restrict food intake, however, might be eating less when sad, angry, or stressed. In this study, the impact of inducing a negative emotional state through social exclusion on wanting and liking of food pictures was explored in patients with anorexia nervosa. Method: 43 patients with anorexia nervosa and 22 healthy controls completed a computerised social rejection and food appraisal task. Participants viewed short videos in which a stranger made either a negative comment directed toward them or a neutral comment. After each video, participants rated their affective state, as well as their wanting and liking for pictures of high-calorie foods. Results: Participants in both groups experienced greater negative affect after viewing the negative videos compared to the neutral ones. They also reported lower wanting for high-calorie foods following negative videos, while no significant effects were observed for liking scores. Interestingly, patients with higher body mass index exhibited a greater reduction in both food wanting and liking following negative videos. Conclusions: These results suggest that negative social interactions can exacerbate restrictive behaviours, especially in patients who are recovering weight during treatment.