Effects of food-related odors on eating behavior: A systematic review

Food-related odors have been examined for their influence on different aspects of eating behavior. However, the existing evidence is mixed across different study designs, making it difficult to obtain an integrated understanding. This systematic review aimed to synthesize experimental evidence on how exposure to food odors impacts eating behavior, including appetite and food craving, food choice and preference, and intake, and to explore factors that may contribute to variability in findings. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched for studies on olfactory cues, appetite, food craving, food choice, food preference, and food intake. Of 15579 records identified, 43 met the inclusion criteria, including 14 assessments of appetite and craving, 18 of food choice and preference, and 16 of food intake. The included studies were evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tool to assess their quality. The results suggested some differences across outcomes: most studies reported increases in sensory-specific appetite and craving following food odor exposure, whereas effects on food choice, preference and intake were less consistent and appeared to depend on factors such as individual characteristics and the mode of odor exposure. These findings highlight the complexity of odor effects on eating behavior and help identify priorities for future research.