2.4.2. Experimental Paradigm
hummus
Participants completed four experiments conducted on consecutive days, as follows: First day: a comfort meal (tasty hummus with regular fat content and non-coloured) was administered. Second day: an offensive meal (high-fat coloured hummus) was administered to induce aversive conditioning. Third day: proof of aversive conditioning by administration of a coloured hummus with regular fat content. Fourth day: a cognitive intervention was performed in the test group, but not in the control group, and the initial comfort meal (regular-fat, non-coloured hummus) was administered afterwards. The cognitive intervention disclosed the experimental paradigm as follows: participants in the test group were informed that on the 2nd study day, the meal was modified with a hidden fat overload (fat addition not affecting taste but impairing its reward value) plus a colour additive, while on the 3rd study day, only the colorant was added to the original comfort meal (