Delay Discounting and Obesity in Food Insecure and Food Secure Women

Objectives: The relation between food insecurity (FI) and delay discounting (DD) and probability discounting (PD) for food and money was tested in women. In addition, discounting was tested as a variable that mediates the relation between obesity and FI. Method: Women recruited from a community sample (N = 92) completed questionnaires. They completed the food choice questionnaire, the monetary choice questionnaire, measures for food and money probability discounting (which quantify sensitivity to risk aversion), and demographic measures. Results: Women with FI had higher rates of obesity and higher food DD compared to food-secure women. However, DD for money or probability discounting for food or money did not significantly differ between FI and food secure groups when controlling for significant covariates. Neither DD or PD significantly mediated the relation between FI and obesity. Conclusions: These results suggest that FI is associated with greater impulsive food choice, but its association with other monetary discounting and probability discounting for food and money appears contingent upon other demographic factors.

Automated summary

The study found that food insecurity is associated with more impulsive food choice, but its relation with other monetary discounting and probability discounting is contingent upon other demographic factors.