Development of an assessment system for eating behavior using a delay discounting paradigm.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K17484
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 58060:Clinical nursing-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Shimizu Yoshiyuki 京都大学, 医学研究科, 助教 (90794272)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 食行動 / 肥満 / 内臓脂肪 / 遅延報酬割引 / 報酬系 / 衝動性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Many patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes are considered to have a dependence on high-calorie and high-fat diets, which is thought to be caused by heightened reactivity of the brain's reward system. However, there is no established system to evaluate the reaction of the brain's reward system as behavior in humans. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate impulsivity in eating behavior using delay discounting and examine the relationship between visceral fat accumulation and impulsivity in eating behavior in obese individuals.

As a result, there was no significant correlation between the newly developed delay discounting measurement method and visceral fat accumulation. However, a tendency for correlation was observed in subjects with visceral fat accumulation despite having a normal BMI.

Free Research Field

看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回作成した遅延報酬割引の測定法と内臓脂肪量に有意な関連は見られなかった。しかし、正常BMIであるにも関わらず、内臓脂肪が蓄積している対象者では関連がある傾向が見られた。このことから、今回作成した遅延報酬割引の測定法は、いわゆるサルコペニア肥満のような病態における食行動の評価に活かせる可能性が示唆された。