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Five-Factor personality traits and dietary guidelines: A multilevel meta-analysis
1Department of Psychology, Wayne State University.
Summary
Personality traits like agreeableness and conscientiousness are linked to healthier eating habits, including more fruits, vegetables, and fiber, and less sodium. Neuroticism was linked to less healthy eating. These findings clarify personality
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Nutrition Science
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Dietary behaviors are influenced by various factors, including personality traits.
- Previous research has explored links between personality and diet, but clarity is needed.
- Cybernetic Big Five theory provides a framework for understanding these associations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clarify the associations between the Five-Factor personality traits and specific dietary behaviors.
- To examine diet in relation to government guidelines (e.g., USDA, NIH, WHO).
Main Methods:
- Conducted preregistered meta-analyses across Big Five traits and seven dietary categories.
- Utilized correlated and hierarchical effects models with robust variance estimation.
- Employed metaregression to test moderators like age, sex, and national obesity rates.
Main Results:
- Positive associations found between agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, openness, and healthy eating (fruits, vegetables).
- Neuroticism negatively associated with healthy eating.
- Specific traits linked to whole grains, fiber, and sodium consumption.
- Openness association with healthy eating stronger in samples over 30 years old.
Conclusions:
- Established small but reliable associations between Big Five personality traits and guideline-aligned dietary behaviors.
- Highlights the need for future research on lower-order traits and less biased diet assessments.
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