Abstract
This study examined the reinforcing value of caffeine and food in a sample of 14 normal-weight females who indicated some degree of dietary restraint, and consumed caffeine daily. Eligible individuals participated in two sessions, one of which required a 24-hour fast. During both sessions, participants completed measures assessing caffeine withdrawal symptoms, urge to drink caffeine, hunger, and a multiple-choice questionnaire (MCQ) requiring them to earn points towards either snack foods or caffeinated beverages. There were no significant differences between the fasting and non-fasting conditions on MCQ scores, though the means were in the predicted direction (i.e., participants appeared to work harder for caffeine in the fasting session than in the non-fasting one). Between group differences were analyzed to determine if smokers worked harder for caffeine than non-smokers on the MCQ. Again, no significant differences were found, but means were in the predicted direction (i.e., smokers worked harder than non-smokers in both conditions). Predicted correlations were not found (a) between withdrawal symptoms and urge to consume caffeine; (b) between dietary restraint and MCQ scores; or (c) between dietary restraint and amount of daily caffeine consumption. Results were likely affected by limited power from the small sample size.
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