Neuroeconomic Approach of Food Nutritionnal Assesment

Neural Networks of Decision Making Processes Triggered by Food Labels

This fMRI study evaluated the cognitive mechanisms and the cerebral substrate of decision making when evaluating the healthiness of food products with nutritional information displayed either with a Traffic Light system, a colored nutritional label, and a Guideline Daily Amount system, a numeric label.

The investigators postulated that Traffic Light label would recruit emotion processes and activation of subjacent cerebral networks.

On the contrary, the nutritional information presented in a Guideline Daily Amount label, would recruit, due to its numeric format and higher complexity, supplementary cognitive processes and activation of related brain regions.

Inclusion Criteria:

• signed informed consent
• medical exam completed before participation in reserach
• to be insured under the social security system
• to be an adult between 18 and 50 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• counter-argument to magnetic field exposure
• neurological or psychiatric disorder including eating disorders
• had