Multivariate patterns of food image evaluations distinguish obesity: A key role of highly processed foods

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Nutritional Neuroscience
• Obesity Research

Background:

• Subjective food evaluations (tastiness, healthiness) impact dietary choices.
• Altered food evaluations are linked to obesity development and persistence.
• Differences in food evaluation between obese and lean individuals are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how subjective food evaluations differ between lean and obese individuals.
• To identify specific patterns in food evaluation distinguishing these groups.
• To explore the relationship between these patterns and food processing levels.

Main Methods:

• A preregistered behavioral study involving Japanese participants (lean and with obesity).
• Participants rated 896 food images on likability, tastiness, and healthiness.
• Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used to identify distinguishing features.

Main Results:

• Evaluation patterns for hundreds of food items significantly distinguished obese from lean individuals.
• Latent features identified by PLS-DA were strongly associated with processed versus minimally processed foods.
• Differential evaluations of processed foods showed multivariate patterns linked to obesity status.

Conclusions:

• Subjective food evaluation patterns, particularly for processed foods, differ between individuals with and without obesity.
• These findings provide novel insights into the role of food perception in obesity.
• Understanding these evaluation differences may inform interventions for obesity management.