Origins of food reinforcement in infants.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Rapid weight gain in infancy is associated with a higher risk of obesity in children and adults. A high relative reinforcing value of food is cross-sectionally related to obesity; lean children find nonfood alternatives more reinforcing than do overweight/obese children. However, to our knowledge, there is no research on how and when food reinforcement develops.

Objective

This study was designed to assess whether the reinforcing value of food and nonfood alternatives could be tested in 9- to 18-mo-old infants and whether the reinforcing value of food and nonfood alternatives is differentially related to infant weight status.

Design

Reinforcing values were assessed by using absolute progressive ratio schedules of reinforcement, with presentation of food and

SUBMITTER: Kong KL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4340058 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature