ESRC Interdisciplinary Studentship: Memory and Consumption
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Psychology
Abstract
The research will investigate whether increased BMI results in poorer episodic memory. Potential factors to explain this effect will be empirically tested,
and these will include increased memory malleability, prefrontal cortex impairments / executive function disruptions and hippocampal damage. One of
the key hypotheses I would like to test is whether those with a higher BMI have more malleable memories, and whether they are more prone to false
memory development as a result. This increased malleability may stem from brain changes that occur due to increased BMI, such as insulin level
increase (as outlined in Cheke et al., 2017). False memories may distort episodic memory, which may in turn affect eating behaviour, and exacerbate
existing weight problems. It has been demonstrated that episodic memory is important in regulating meal frequency and size in rats (Parent, 2016), so
it is also possible that the weight problems of those who are obese may be in part caused by distorted episodic memory. Such inaccurate memories
may pertain to the food an obese individual consumed, the portion size, and time since a meal was last consumed. Memory distortion in obese
individuals may be driven by self-deception biases, a need to maintain high self-esteem, or by embarrassment, which can all change how an individual
recalls consumption. The findings from this research will be used to develop an app-based intervention, to help obese people lose weight.
and these will include increased memory malleability, prefrontal cortex impairments / executive function disruptions and hippocampal damage. One of
the key hypotheses I would like to test is whether those with a higher BMI have more malleable memories, and whether they are more prone to false
memory development as a result. This increased malleability may stem from brain changes that occur due to increased BMI, such as insulin level
increase (as outlined in Cheke et al., 2017). False memories may distort episodic memory, which may in turn affect eating behaviour, and exacerbate
existing weight problems. It has been demonstrated that episodic memory is important in regulating meal frequency and size in rats (Parent, 2016), so
it is also possible that the weight problems of those who are obese may be in part caused by distorted episodic memory. Such inaccurate memories
may pertain to the food an obese individual consumed, the portion size, and time since a meal was last consumed. Memory distortion in obese
individuals may be driven by self-deception biases, a need to maintain high self-esteem, or by embarrassment, which can all change how an individual
recalls consumption. The findings from this research will be used to develop an app-based intervention, to help obese people lose weight.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Lucy Cheke (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Joanna Szypula (Student) |
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES/P000738/1 | 01/10/2017 | 30/09/2027 | |||
| 1942012 | Studentship | ES/P000738/1 | 01/10/2017 | 30/09/2021 | Joanna Szypula |
| Description | During my MPhil I investigated how recalling a recent meal influences subsequent snacking. Previous literature suggests that recalling a meal which was eaten a few hours earlier can result in decreased food intake (i.e. meal-recall effect). My research specifically focused on three main factors: low/high memory ability, depth of recall and mode of recall. For the experiment, only participants with a low or high memory ability were recruited and were allocated to either an unguided-recall or guided-recall condition. In the unguided-recall condition, participants were asked to recall what they ate, whereas in the guided-recall condition they were prompted for further details regarding their meal. The effect of the mode of recall was assessed by asking participants to either recall their meal out-loud through an interview with the experimenter or by writing their recollection down on the computer. The experiment involved two sessions: during one session participants were asked to recall a recent meal (eaten about 3 hours prior to the experiment), and they were asked to recall a more distant meal (eaten about 28 hours prior to the experiment) in the other session (counterbalanced). If the meal-recall effect was evident, fewer biscuits should be eaten after recalling a recent, than a distant meal. I was able to replicate the meal-recall effect, but only when recall was written and when participants were not guided in their recall. Those who recalled their meal in a written format, but were guided in their recall, increased their biscuit consumption. Those who recalled their meal verbally did not show the meal-recall effect, meaning they ate about the same amount of biscuits irrespective of whether they were recalling a recent or a distant meal. Natural variation in memory ability (low/high) did not impact the meal-recall effect. The experiment's results highlighted that the meal-recall effect can be replicated, but that it is very prone to contextual factors. More research is needed to understand how robust the meal-recall effect is. During the first year of my PhD I investigated the same meal-recall effect, but this time I wanted to explore how imagination would influence it. Participants firstly came into the lab to eat a meal provided by the lab. They returned approximately 3 hours later and were randomly allocated to one of the following conditions: 1. Recall previous meal and imagine it was bigger and more satiating than in reality (Recall+Enlargement) 2. Recall previous meal and think about what it was like to eat it in detail (Recall+Rumination) 3. Recall previous meal and imagine moving the food around the plate (Recall+Handling) 4. View a photograph of a new meal and imagine moving it around the plate (Food Picture+Handling) 5. View a photograph of some paper clips and rubber bands and imagine moving them around the plate (Non-food Picture+Handling) Participants then completed a bogus taste test, which involved snacking on biscuits. Those who imagined that their portion of food was bigger showed a reduction in snacking. Imagining the portion of food as bigger did not seem to distort participants' perception of their true portion size.The meal-recall effect was not evident in any other conditions. The results of this study suggest that the meal-recall effect can be an effective strategy to reduce food intake, but as already shown in the previous study, that it is prone to disruption from contextual factors. The findings of this project will be used to inform the development of a memory-based weight management app. |
| Exploitation Route | We are currently facing an obesity crisis and there is a high need to develop new ways of helping people to lose weight. Traditional dieting approaches are not very successful at helping people to lose weight, as depriving the body of food triggers the brain to conserve energy and encourages the body to seek food. The 'eat less and move more' approach is stressful for the body and cognitively exhausting for the person trying to lose weight. The meal-recall effect does not require people to restrain themselves in any way, and yet can significantly reduce consumption, and so might be developed into a weight-loss tool. In order for people to benefit from this effect, we must understand the mechanism behind it and explore how to maximise its effects. There is potential for an intervention to be developed and our lab is currently looking at using the meal-recall effect in a chat-bot format. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Communities and Social Services/Policy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Healthcare |
| Description | Article for 'The Naked Scientists' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I wrote an article describing my area of expertise for a non-academic audience, in the form of an online article. The article was targeted at a non-academic person, which hopefully made my work more accessible to people from various backgrounds, and it also allowed me to practice writing for a non-academic audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/science-features/can-we-think-ourselves-thin |
| Description | Cambridge Science Festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I had my own stand at the Cambridge science festival, and I told people who came around to my stand about my research. They also had a chance to participate in a quick experiment, which was a condensed version of my main project. This allowed the general public to see what it's like to participate in a study, generated interest in my research (which led to some people signing up for the main study) and educated people about the impact of memory on consumption. The initial description differed from the true aims of the study (i.e. people thought they were taking part in a study to see how mood influenced taste, but in fact it was to see how memory influenced consumption), however this was all explained at the end. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk/events/how-does-mood-affect-taste |