# Competing Revision: Sensitization of the Reinforcing Value of Food as a Predictor of Weight Change in Adolescents.

> **NIH NIH R01** · STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO · 2020 · $98,451

## Abstract

Project Summary: The adolescent brain is driven to seek out reinforcers, but the areas of the brain involved in impulse
control and executive function remain immature until early adulthood. This may make adolescents particularly
susceptible to overeating and weight gain. Motivation to eat, or reinforcing value (RRV) of food, is a strong predictor of
energy consumption and adiposity. Understanding factors that lead to higher levels of the RRV of food is a critical first
step toward developing novel treatment and prevention strategies for obesity. The purpose of the parent grant was 1)
to determine if increases in the RRV of high energy density snack foods predict weight gain over time 2) to determine if
increases in the RRV of low energy density snacks protect against weight gain over time 3) to determine if RRV of
physical activity and/or delay discounting (DD) moderate the relationship between changes in the RRV of food after
repeated exposure and weight change in adolescents. We have completed baseline data collection on 95% of our target
sample in the parent grant as well as follow-up appointments on approximately 50% of our target population. We have
shown that children with healthy weight decrease their RRV of snack food after two weeks of repeated exposure, but
children with overweight do not show changes in RRV of snack food after repeated exposure. We have also shown that
participants who showed an increase in RRV of snack food after repeated exposure had significantly greater zBMI
change at 6 and 15 months compared to those participants who did not increase their RRV of food. Finally, we showed
that individuals with high baseline RRV and DD had significantly greater zBMI change at 6 and 15 months compared to
those with low DD and RRV of food. When taken together, these findings suggest that several behavioral phenotypes
predict zBMI change over time and could potentially help to identify individuals at high risk of weight gain prior to the
onset of weight gain. While we work toward completion of the original goals of the parent grant, new ideas have
emerged as we have progressed through this study. The primary purpose of this competing revision proposal is to build
upon our preliminary findings and determine 1) if the predictive value of baseline behavioral phenotypes extends into
later adolescence 2) the role that eating autonomy plays in eating behavior and weight change over time 3) the extent
to which the development of disordered eating behavior and dieting moderates the relationship between baseline
behavioral phenotypes and zBMI change over time. This competing revision proposal will enhance the value of the
outcomes of the parent grant by adding additional, age-appropriate measures, by extending the timeline of our follow-
up to later adolescence and emerging adulthood, and by allowing us to develop and validate a novel measure of eating
behavior (eating autonomy) that may be particularly important during this critical period of ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9917281
- **Project number:** 3R01DK106265-05S1A1
- **Recipient organization:** STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO
- **Principal Investigator:** Jennifer L Temple
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $98,451
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2016-03-01 → 2021-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9917281

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9917281, Competing Revision: Sensitization of the Reinforcing Value of Food as a Predictor of Weight Change in Adolescents. (3R01DK106265-05S1A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9917281. Licensed CC0.

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