Personality doesn’t only influence food choices in adults, but also young adults.

Keller & Siegrist concluded personality influences our eating style. A study of 1,073 young adults at the University of Otago in New Zealand concluded:

in younger adults (aged 17-25) personality, too, influences eating style.

Based on the Big Five personality traits:

  •  openness and extraversion were the most consistent personality predictors of greater fruit and vegetable consumption
  • conscientiousness was a weaker predictor of fruit and vegetable consumption.

Meaning, higher fruit and vegetable intake is reported in young adults who are more:

  • open to new experiences
  • outgoing and
  • conscientious

(compared with their less open, less extraverted, less conscientious peers)

Openness and extraversion relate to fruit and vegetable consumption in young Yet, foadults! 

Neuroticism and agreeableness do not.

 

 

 

Yet, for unhealthy foods, no such associations could be found.

But this is not necessarily new research. Lots of research exists on this subject, however not in the age group of young adults.

Among children and adolescents

Researchers have concluded two personality traits – openness and agreeableness – consistently predict higher fruit and vegetable intake (de Bruijn et al., 2005; Vollrath et al., 2012).

It is argued that children and adolescents who are more open to new experiences are also more open to try new & re-try food in different flavor combinations.

To the contrary, highly agreeable children, may comply with eating instructions as encouraged by their parents.

Although, in children agreeableness is associated with higher fruit and vegetable consumption, is not the case in older adults (Keller and Siegrist, 2015).

Thus, it seems the older we get, the less agreeable we become.

Don’t miss out on your opportunity to introduce your children to a diverse range of food groups.

Include all kinds of vegetables and fruits, especially if your children are open to new experiences and agreeable.

More importantly, you could have a lasting influence on their food choices!

Lastly, looking at gender differences, Vollrath & colleagues concluded that among boys:

  •  extraversion and conscientiousness predicted increased  fruit and vegetable consumption
  • neuroticism predicted decreased fruit and vegetable consumption (Vollrath et al., 2012).

 

This article could be of interest to you:

Does your personality influence your eating style?

Health Adviser: who influences health choices & eating habits

 

Veröffentlicht in Eating habits & food choices und verschlagwortet mit , , , .

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