Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine
Expectation shapes hunger and craving: placebo effects of verbal suggestion on food-related experiences
By Al-Awan Z, Prinea E and Skvortsova A.
Abstract
Background
Placebo effects-beneficial outcomes driven by expectations rather than active treatment-are well documented in domains such as pain, mental health, and fatigue. However, their impact on food metabolism and food-related behaviors remains underexplored.
Purpose
This study investigated whether verbal suggestions about a sham vagus nerve stimulation could alter hunger, food craving, food desirability, and food choice in healthy volunteers.