Liking Fast-Food Brands Predicts Poorer Diet Quality, Independent of Perceived Healthiness

Within the theory of planned behavior, ambivalent attitudes (that are simultaneously positive and negative) can weaken the link between attitudes, intentions and behavior. This study examined whether perceived healthiness of fast-food brands would weaken the relationship between positive emotional attitudes toward fast-food brands and diet quality. In Study 1, university students in Australia completed the study in a lab; Study 2 (pre-registered) was completed by US-based participants online. In both experiments, participants rated major fast food and beverage brand logos on liking and perceived healthiness, completed dietary questionnaires (DFS, RED-13) and self-reported BMI and demographic data. Sensitivity analyses excluded brands marketed as "healthy." Consistently across both Australian and American samples, dietary fat and sugar intake was predicted by both higher liking ratings of fast-food brand logos and reward-based eating styles. Contrary to expectations, these effects were not significantly moderated by perceived healthiness of the brands. Fast-food brands that were more liked were also perceived to be healthier by those consuming more dietary fat and sugar. These results point to a possible contribution of food brand marketing and brand loyalty in shaping consumer behavior.