Do emotional responses to food images differ within different types of eating disorders?

OBJECTIVES: To investigate emotional responses to food images in women with eating disorders (EDs) and healthy controls (HCs); and in underweight individuals post weight-restoration.

METHODS: Women (>14 years) with ( n = 139) and without ( n = 41) an ED rated food images evoking fear, disgust and happiness on a three-visual-analogue scale. Underweight participants viewed the images at two time-points; pre- and post-weight-restoration.

RESULTS: HCs were significantly happier, less fearful/anxious prior to viewing the images compared with EDs. Negative emotional responses when viewing images were significantly greater ( p < .001) in EDs compared with HCs; however, groups did not differ in happiness. Emotional responses were not significantly different within the ED groups. At post weight-restoration, individuals were significantly less anxious/disgusted when viewing the images.

CONCLUSIONS: The importance of considering emotional responses when discussing food consumption in EDs trans-diagnostically is highlighted. Weight recovery reduces negative food responses, although responses remained high in comparison to HCs.