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Diet and personality: associations in a population-based sample.
Marianne B M van den Bree1, Thomas R Przybeck, C Robert Cloninger
1Department of Psychological Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, Wales, UK. vandenbreemb@cardiff.ac.uk
Appetite
|March 11, 2006
Summary
Personality traits influence dietary choices and eating behaviors. Understanding these links can help improve public health and promote healthier eating habits.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Nutritional Psychology
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Many individuals in the U.S. do not adhere to dietary guidelines.
- Psychological factors are potential contributors to this non-adherence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationships between heritable personality traits, attitudes toward food, and eating behaviors.
- To identify how personality styles correlate with dietary habits.
Main Methods:
- A population-based sample of 629 subjects completed questionnaires.
- Correlation and regression analyses were used to establish associations.
- Analyses accounted for demographic, lifestyle, and other relevant factors.
Main Results:
- Personality differences were linked to dietary patterns, such as eating when full (hostility, anxiety-proneness) or monitoring intake (sociability, low impulsivity).
- Certain traits correlated with increased hunger and snacking (immaturity, aloofness, self-consciousness, self-gratification).
- Associations varied by sex and were stronger for food attitudes than actual eating behavior; other factors attenuated these links.
Conclusions:
- Significant associations exist between personality traits and diet.
- Demographic and lifestyle factors modulate the strength of these personality-diet associations.
- Findings inform future research and interventions for modifying unhealthy eating patterns.