Subjective Sensations related to Food as Determinants of Snack Choice.

Mette Duerlund,Derek Victor Byrne,Mei Peng,Niki Alexi,Barbara Vad Andersen

doi:10.3390/foods9030336

Mette Duerlund, Derek Victor Byrne + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9030336

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Abstract

Comprehending the complexity and determinants of food choices can help understand facets of the growing obesity epidemic. Focusing on consumers’ subjective sensations as determinants of food choices can provide essential insights into eating behaviors. We explored subjective sensations linked to appetite, desire, wellbeing and energy. This study aims to 1) quantify subjective temporal sensations, and 2) study the effects of these sensations on snack choice. Two-hundred and fifty-three participants (mean age 20.5) evaluated subjective sensations using a visual analogue scale. The choice of one of six snacks was offered to the participants; choices were recorded as implicit choice measures. The results demonstrated that especially sensory specific desire sensations (Salty, Fatty, Sweet desire) affected, either positively or negatively, snack choice. Furthermore, wellbeing sensations (Overall, Mental, Physical wellbeing) also showed significant effects for snack choice. Health-conscious females chose healthy snacks, and males chose unhealthy snacks. Importantly, this research indicates the relevance of subjective sensations in consumer studies that focus on diverse determinants of food choice. Sensory specific desires and wellbeing sensations were notably shown to be important determinants of snack choice. The contribution of different sensations to food choice is imperative, and helps us to understand aspects of snacking behavior. This could have broader implications concerning public health issues and obesity.

Highlights

We live in a multifaceted world, and the processes around food choices and eating behavior are complex and multifactorial [1,2,3,4]
One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that consumers’ levels of seven of the thirteen sensations were significantly different for the snack choices: Hunger (p = 0.009), Physical wellbeing (p = 0.030), Desire-to-eat (p = 0.023), Desire-to-snack (p = 0.001), Sweet desire (p < 0.0001), Fatty desire (p < 0.0001), and Salty desire (p < 0.0001)
In relation to our first research question, i.e., which subjective temporal sensations contribute to snack choice, we found that subjective desires contribute the most, both positively and negatively

Summary

Introduction

We live in a multifaceted world, and the processes around food choices and eating behavior are complex and multifactorial [1,2,3,4]. One of the most widely used is the Theory of Planned Behavior (TBP), linking one’s attitudes and behavioral intentions with one’s behavior. TBP functions as a cognitive model and theorizes that we make rational and conscious decisions based on attitudes and intentions [1,3,5]. Researchers find inconsistencies or weak associations between intention and actual eating behavior [5,10,11]. Weijzen et al (2009) found that 24% of consumers with a healthy snack choice intention chose an unhealthy snack instead, showing a discrepancy.

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