Ambient lighting has been identified as a motivationally relevant context that affects cognition, emotion, and behavior, including food consumption and choice. This study adds to this body of work utilizing optimal foraging theory, which predicts individuals will prefer foods that deliver the most energy while costing the least energy to obtain. The environmental contexts in which one will have to forage alter perceived energy expenditure. An experiment was performed in which young adults viewed food advertisements that varied in energy density level in either dim or bright contexts. Metrics assessing motivational activation and attitudes were obtained across and post exposure. Individuals exhibited greater motivational intensity and preference when exposed to more energy dense foods in light contexts, but preference dissipated in dark contexts. Less energy dense foods elicited more motivational preference in dark contexts compared to light. Self-reported attitudes and intentions were only affected by context. Thus, variations in lighting may have larger implications for food choice and overall health.

环境照明已被确定为影响认知、情感和行为（包括食物消费和选择）的动机相关环境。这项研究利用最佳觅食理论增加了这项工作，该理论预测个人将更喜欢提供最多能量同时花费最少能量来获得的食物。人们必须觅食的环境背景会改变感知的能量消耗。进行了一项实验，让年轻人在昏暗或明亮的环境中观看能量密度水平不同的食品广告。评估动机激活和态度的指标是在暴露后和暴露后获得的。个体在光照环境下暴露于能量密度更高的食物时表现出更大的动机强度和偏好，但在黑暗环境中偏好消散。与光相比，在黑暗环境中，能量密度较低的食物会引起更多的动机偏好。自我报告的态度和意图仅受上下文影响。因此，照明的变化可能对食物选择和整体健康有更大的影响。