Repeatedly being offered the same foods may lead to food ‘boredom’ and decrease energy intakes in women, but variety may actually increase caloric intake, suggests a new study.
A study with obese and non-obese women showed that, when macaroni and cheese was offered daily, the energy consumed decreased by about 100 calories a day. When the mean was provided only weekly, caloric intake increased by about 30 calories per day.
Researchers from the University at Buffalo and the University of Vermont report their findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition .
The findings support dietary advice for people to try to eat the same food every day, “in which case habituation may develop that would reduce the likelihood of overeating and subsequent obesity”, according to the researachers.
Led by Buffalo’s Leonard Epstein, the researchers note that monotony is known to reduce food acceptability and consumption, but their study “provide[s] the first evidence in humans that habituation may provide a theoretical explanation for why repeatedly consuming the same food will lead to reduced consumption.
“Long-term habituation, in terms of a faster rate of habituation and reduced energy intake, was observed for the daily group but not for the weekly group.
“Repeated presentations once a day compared with once a week provide a reference point for the interval between food presentations that could lead to long-term habituation,” added Epstein and his co-workers.
Results showed that women in the daily group consumed less calories per day, whereas the weekly food exposure increased the caloric intake, and the results were the same for both obese and non-obese women.
“It is of interest that obese subjects and non-obese subjects showed similar long-term habituation to daily presentations of the same food
“These results suggest that repeated presentations of the same [main meal] over days would equally effective for obese and non-obese women,” wrote the researchers.Commenting on the study, Avena and Gold said the work was “very important” but limited due to only including women.
“Thus, it will be important to further explore whether the findings obtained in the present study extend to men.”
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Volume 94, Pages 371-376
“Long-term habituation to food in obese and nonobese women”
Authors: L.H. Epstein, K.A. Carr, M.D. Cavanaugh, R.A. Paluch, M.E. Bouton
Editorial: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Volume 94, Pages 367-368
“Variety and hyperpalatability: are they promoting addictive overeating?”
Authors: N.M. Avena, M.S. Gold
Now tell me what you think? Does diversity in food choices lead to overeating? Maybe it depends upon what's being served. I could eat dark chocolate 365 days a year.
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