Food Neophobia: It Is Both Cause and Consequence of Obesity Development

Year 2023, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 145 - 158, 31.01.2023

Hatice Bolat , Can Ergün

https://doi.org/10.46237/amusbfd.1152162

Abstract

Objective: The fear of trying new foods (food neophobia, FN) is the fear of trying foods that have not been tried before. It has been reported that introducing new foods to people with obesity and being encouraged toward new foods have effects on fear of new foods. However, studies on the subject are very limited in the literature. This study was conducted with 384 volunteers (294 females and 90 males) aged 18-65 years to evaluate the relationship between nutritional knowledge level and food neophobia.
Methods: Demographic characteristics of the participants, anthropometric measurements, nutritional habits, healthy nutrition information channels, and food neophobia levels using the FNS scale were obtained by face-to-face interview method.
Results: Women were found to be more neophobic than men (p=0.007). People with higher education levels have lower fear of new foods (p=0.014). Fear of trying new foods was found to be lower in high-income participants than in those with low-income participants (p=0.008). Food neophobia restricts diet diversity. At the same time increases the risk of obesity due to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Conclusion: People with obesity -who have a higher Body Mass Index- value tend to eat foods with high fat and sugar content. As a result of obesity, individuals preferred traditional high-calorie foods, decreased their desire to try new foods, and developed neophobia against food. 

Keywords

Food Neophobia, Obesity, Taste Perception

Yeni Besin Deneme Korkusu: Obezite Gelişiminin Hem Nedeni Hem Sonucudur.

Abstract

Amaç: Yeni besin deneme korkusu (yiyecek neofobisi, FN) daha önce denenmemiş yiyecekleri deneme korkusudur. Obez bireylere, yeni besinlerin tanıtılması ve yeni besinlere karşı teşvik edilmenin yeni besin korkusu üzerinde etkileri olduğu bildirilmekte ancak konuyla ilgili çalışmalar literatürde çok sınırlı kalmaktadır. Bu çalışma beslenme bilgi düzeyi ile yiyecek neofobisi arasındaki ilişkinin değerlendirilmesi amacıyla 18-65 yaş aralığına sahip 384 gönüllü birey (294’ü kadın 90’ ı erkek) ile yürütülmüştür.
Yöntem: Katılımcıların demografik özellikleri, antropometrik ölçümleri, beslenme alışkanlıkları, sağlıklı beslenme bilgi kanalları, FNS ölçeği kullanılarak yiyecek neofobi düzeyi, yüz yüze görüşme yöntemi ile elde edilmiştir.
Bulgular: Kadınlar, erkeklere göre daha neofobik bulunmuştur (p=0.007). Eğitim seviyesi yüksek olan kişilerin yeni yiyeceklere karşı korkusu daha düşüktür (p=0.014). Aylık geliri yüksek olan kişilerin yeni yiyecekleri deneme korkusu aylık geliri düşük olanlara göre daha düşük bulunmuştur (p=0.008). Yeni besinleri deneme korkusu diyet çeşitliliğini çok azaltmakla birlikte özellikle vitamin ve mineral eksikliklerine yol açmasından dolayı bireylerin obezite riskini arttırmaktadır.
Sonuç: Vücut Kütle İndeksi değeri yüksek olan obez bireyler yağ, şeker içeriği yüksek olan yiyeceklere daha fazla eğilim göstermektedir. Obezite sonucu bireyler geleneksel yüksek kalorili yiyecekleri tercih ederek yeni besin deneme arzularında azalma görülmüş ve yiyeceğe karşı neofobi geliştirmişlerdir.  

Keywords

Yiyecek Neofobisi, Obezite, Tat algısı

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