The brain bases of regulation of eating behaviors: the role of reward, executive control, and valuation processes, and new paths to propel the field forward

In the modern world, eating often needs to be regulated, so there is a need for people to control nonhomeostatic eating. Modern brain science has identified brain systems involved in food-cue reactivity, executive control, and valuation, respectively. We propose that interactions between these three processes are critical to understanding food approach and consummatory behaviors, as well as the regulation of such behaviors. We also highlight recent innovations that are propelling the field forward, including new computational methods, integration of brain and nonbrain measures to elucidate core mechanisms of eating, and expanded sampling from more diverse populations of interest.