Food Insecurity, Obesity, and Impulsive Food Choice

The objective of this study is to determine the relations among food insecurity status, obesity, and impulsive food choice patterns and to test the extent to which a mindful eating strategy reduces impulsive choice for food. The central hypothesis is that food-insecure individuals will demonstrate more impulsive food choice patterns and demonstrate a greater likelihood of obesity than individuals who are food secure. Two specific aims are proposed: Specific aim #1: Determine the relation between food insecurity, obesity, and impulsive food choice patterns in women. The working hypothesis is that food-insecure individuals, especially those that are obese, will exhibit more impulsive food choice patterns than food-secure individuals. Specific aim #2: Determine the efficacy of an extended mindfulness-based eating strategy on impulsive choice patterns among food insecure women. The working hypothesis is that mindful eating will reduce impulsive food choice patterns relative to baseline and control conditions, and will persist to follow-up. The investigators expect mindful eating to reduce impulsive choice compared to control conditions, despite food security status.