Nutrition psychology

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Nutrition psychology is the psychological study of the relationship between dietary intake and different aspects of psychological health. It is an applied field that uses an interdisciplinary approach to examine the influence of diet on mental health. [1] Nutrition psychology seeks to understand the relationship between nutritional behavior, mental health and general well-being. It is a sub-field of psychology and more specifically of health psychology, and may be applied to numerous related fields, including psychology, dietetics, nutrition, and marketing. [1]

Contents

Nutrition psychology assesses how nutrition affects psychological functions, and how psychological choices and behavior influence nutrition and health.

Description

Nutrition psychology addresses dietary quality and its relation to various components of mental health. [1]

Origins and development

Nutrition psychology is a field that is still in its early stages of development. Despite the growing interest and demand for nutrition psychology, there is a lack of research studies on this topic. Expanding the field will require a proliferation of peer-reviewed research. [2]

With obesity being a continually growing problem in many countries, [3] nutrition psychology is gaining importance and popularity in society today. As it has grown, nutrition psychology has directly and indirectly influenced research on dieting, food labels, the way food is marketed, food technology, obesity, and the attitude of the public towards food, among other topics. [1]

Some research discusses the idea of "food faddism", which is loosely defined as, "the idea that too much weight is put upon the influence of food and diet on overall health and that claims, whether good or bad, are often exaggerated." This idea of food choices having extreme consequences is thought to be deeply ingrained into culture, possibly stemming from the story of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit. [4]

Applications

Food labels

In 1990, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required that nutrition labels be put on food products in the United States. [5] The thought behind doing so was to provide consumers with the necessary information to make educated decisions about the foods that they purchased. Since that time, nutrition psychologists have done research on how these labels influence how consumers choose what foods to buy. These studies have shown mixed results concerning the effects of nutritional labeling. [5] According to the research, the average consumer does tend to read the labels and take the information into consideration, in part because companies have begun producing foods with more health-conscious ingredients. [5] However, many of these potential health benefits are overshadowed by the continuing increase in obesity and deaths related to obesity in the United States over the last few decades. [5]

Because of the misinformation and easy access to processed and prepackaged foods, people are more likely to choose them over fresh food or healthier packaged foods. That can lead to health-related diseases and obesity. Those that are uneducated on the topic of nutrition and how to read nutrition labels are the most at risk for this. When informed on nutrition labeling, there is an impact on one's health, body weight, and overall energy intake. Many food companies market their food products to make them seem more nutritious than they actually are, falsely leading people to believe that they are a healthy option. That can link to obesity because some may be intaking a large amount of a product they think is a healthy option. [6] They can do that by making the product packaging look a certain way, or putting misleading words on them. For example, people may have more incentive to buy a product if the packaging looks nicer and is colorful or has pictures on it. Also, false claims can be made on the packaging such as made with real ingredients, boosts immunity, no high-fructose corn syrup, or lowers cholesterol. In reality, the food items have processed ingredients, these claims are not true, and it does not mean the other ingredients are healthy. Food companies will also say their product has nutritional benefits that others do not, just to get consumers to buy theirs. Many people would like to be more knowledgeable about nutrition labeling. However, it is hard for some when they have to compare many different components they don't want like sugar, cholesterol, sodium, or fat. [6] It is easier for those with background knowledge or interest in nutrition to determine labels.

Marketing

As with any industry, marketing plays an important role in the buying and selling of food products. Marketing campaigns for food and beverages are increasingly prevalent today and are larger in scope than ever before, given the resources that large corporations are able to use in the forms of social media and viral marketing. Some researchers claim that the dramatic rise in obesity rates are at least in part, due to an increase in the marketing of food over the past 30 years. [7] New marketing strategies have taken many forms, including changing the packaging of the food or beverage itself, product placement in media, advertisements in schools, increased focus on "value meals" with larger portions, and endorsements by athletes or celebrities. [7] Many of these methods increase exposure to younger consumers, who studies show tend to be more impressionable than adults and whose eating patterns as children can continue long into their adult lives. [7] There are calls for junk food television advertisements to be banned before 9.00 pm to prevent children seeing them. [8]

Food technology

Recently, food has been a source of technological development. Nutrition psychologists have studied the public's perception of food technology such as genetic modification or additives that may extend the shelf life of food, among other topics. In general, the findings show that the average consumer is more likely to avoid food that is affected by technology and will prefer organic, all-natural choices. These technological effects are often perceived by consumers to pose health risks, even if those claims are not founded in facts. [9]

Fad diets

Nutrition psychology has many applications not only related to how and what people eat on a day-to-day basis, but also the ways in which and why they diet and exercise. Fad diets are popular in today's society and they usually play heavily on potential customers' ideals about what they should weigh or look like. These diets usually include an extreme condition or restriction on a person's particular food intake that supposedly will result in weight loss. [10] People become attracted to these weight loss claims because of the potential ease with which the weight loss can happen. However, these claims are not always founded in scientific research. [10]

Depression

Depression is a mood disorder that negatively impact peoples' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. According to the American Psychiatric Association "1 in 6 people will be diagnosed with depression in their lifetime". [11] Considering its negative consequences and prevalence interventions to manage this condition are important. Recent research has demonstrated that dietary interventions can be used as part of treatment plan for depression. Engaging in healthful dietary behaviors such as adhering to dietary recommendations, consuming an anti-inflammatory diet, eating fish, avoiding processed food, and obtaining adequate vitamins and minerals were associated with a reduced risk of depression. [12] In another study, researchers found that diets high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, olive oil, low fat dairy products, and antioxidants were also associated with a reduced risk of depression. [13]

Anxiety

According to the American Psychological Association anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical behaviors. Anxiety disorders are the most common form of mental disorders. [14] While there are a multitude of options available to treat anxiety disorders nutritional interventions are one avenue that has been shown to be useful. The scientific literature has demonstrated that antioxidant consumption, adequate protein, and higher levels of vitamin B-6 can help lessen symptoms of anxiety. [15] Conversely, diets high in fat and refined sugars have been associated with increased levels of anxiety. [16]

ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or ADHD is a neurodevelopment disorder that is characterized by trouble paying attention, difficulty controlling impulsive behaviors, and/or hyperactivity. [17] Recent findings in the field of nutritional psychology have shown that nutritional interventions can help to manage symptoms of ADHD. A literature review found that the administration of micronutrients, fatty acids, or probiotics are not beneficial. However, the elimination of certain foods, tailored to the individuals intolerances, can help manage symptoms in children and adolescents. [18] While intake of certain food items are beneficial for people with ADHD a high intake of refined sugars and saturated fat can worsen symptoms of ADHD. [19]

Cognition

As individuals age they experience declines in some aspects of cognitive functioning including thinking speed, multitasking, and remembering information. [20] Engaging in healthful dietary practices has been shown to reduce some of the cognitive declines that come with aging. For example, diets high in antioxidants, olive oil, and nuts have been shown to reduce various aspects of cognitive decline. [21] Low levels of protein can also cause mild cognitive impairment. [22] In contrast, having high levels of certain macronutrients can also lead to mild cognitive decline. [23] For example, high levels of protein and fat intake can cause issues as one begins to age. [24] However, having adequate amounts of macronutrient intake can lead to feelings of satisfaction when it comes to focus and concentration. [25]

The 2004 documentary film, Super Size Me , directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock focuses on the ways in which the fast food industry in America is influencing how people and especially young children, view nutrition. [26]

See also

Related Research Articles

Dieting is the practice of eating food in a regulated way to decrease, maintain, or increase body weight, or to prevent and treat diseases such as diabetes and obesity. As weight loss depends on calorie intake, different kinds of calorie-reduced diets, such as those emphasising particular macronutrients, have been shown to be no more effective than one another. As weight regain is common, diet success is best predicted by long-term adherence. Regardless, the outcome of a diet can vary widely depending on the individual.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Junk food</span> Unhealthy food high in sugar or fat

"Junk food" is a term used to describe food that is high in calories from macronutrients such as sugar and/or fat, and possibly sodium, making it hyperpalatable, but with insufficient dietary fiber, protein, or micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. It is also known as HFSS food. The term junk food is a pejorative dating back to the 1950s. Many variations of junk food can be easily found in most supermarkets and fast-food restaurants. Due to easy accessibility, commercially-oriented packaging, and often-low prices, people are most likely to consume it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dietary supplement</span> Product providing additional nutrients

A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement a person's diet by taking a pill, capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid. A supplement can provide nutrients either extracted from food sources, or that are synthetic. The classes of nutrient compounds in supplements include vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, and amino acids. Dietary supplements can also contain substances that have not been confirmed as being essential to life, and so are not nutrients per se, but are marketed as having a beneficial biological effect, such as plant pigments or polyphenols. Animals can also be a source of supplement ingredients, such as collagen from chickens or fish for example. These are also sold individually and in combination, and may be combined with nutrient ingredients. The European Commission has also established harmonized rules to help insure that food supplements are safe and appropriately labeled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fad diet</span> Popular diet with claims not supported by science

A fad diet is a diet that is popular, generally only for a short time, similar to fads in fashion, without being a standard scientific dietary recommendation, and often making unreasonable claims for fast weight loss or health improvements; as such it is often considered a type of pseudoscientific diet. Fad diets are usually not supported by clinical research and their health recommendations are not peer-reviewed, thus they often make unsubstantiated statements about health and disease.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Low-carbohydrate diet</span> Diets restricting carbohydrate consumption

Low-carbohydrate diets restrict carbohydrate consumption relative to the average diet. Foods high in carbohydrates are limited, and replaced with foods containing a higher percentage of fat and protein, as well as low carbohydrate foods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diet (nutrition)</span> Sum of food consumed by an organism

In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. The word diet often implies the use of specific intake of nutrition for health or weight-management reasons. Although humans are omnivores, each culture and each person holds some food preferences or some food taboos. This may be due to personal tastes or ethical reasons. Individual dietary choices may be more or less healthy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plant-based diet</span> Diet consisting mostly or entirely of plant-based foods

A plant-based diet is a diet consisting mostly or entirely of plant-based foods. Plant-based diets encompass a wide range of dietary patterns that contain low amounts of animal products and high amounts of fiber-rich plant products such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. They do not need to be vegan or vegetarian, but are defined in terms of low frequency of animal food consumption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Healthy diet</span> Type of diet

A healthy diet is a diet that maintains or improves overall health. A healthy diet provides the body with essential nutrition: fluid, macronutrients such as protein, micronutrients such as vitamins, and adequate fibre and food energy.

A diabetic diet is a diet that is used by people with diabetes mellitus or high blood sugar to minimize symptoms and dangerous complications of long-term elevations in blood sugar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western pattern diet</span> Modern dietary pattern

The Western pattern diet is a modern dietary pattern that is generally characterized by high intakes of pre-packaged foods, refined grains, red meat, processed meat, high-sugar drinks, candy and sweets, fried foods, industrially produced animal products, butter and other high-fat dairy products, eggs, potatoes, corn, and low intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, pasture-raised animal products, fish, nuts, and seeds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weight management</span> Techniques for maintaining body weight

Weight management refers to behaviors, techniques, and physiological processes that contribute to a person's ability to attain and maintain a healthy weight. Most weight management techniques encompass long-term lifestyle strategies that promote healthy eating and daily physical activity. Moreover, weight management involves developing meaningful ways to track weight over time and to identify the ideal body weights for different individuals.

Research into food choice investigates how people select the food they eat. An interdisciplinary topic, food choice comprises psychological and sociological aspects, economic issues and sensory aspects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Criticism of fast food</span>

Criticism of fast food includes claims of negative health effects, animal cruelty, cases of worker exploitation, children-targeted marketing and claims of cultural degradation via shifts in people's eating patterns away from traditional foods. Fast food chains have come under fire from consumer groups, such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a longtime fast food critic over issues such as caloric content, trans fats and portion sizes. Social scientists have highlighted how the prominence of fast food narratives in popular urban legends suggests that modern consumers have an ambivalent relationship with fast food, particularly in relation to children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social class differences in food consumption</span>

Social class differences in food consumption refers to how the quantity and quality of food varies according to a person's social status or position in the social hierarchy. Various disciplines, including social, psychological, nutritional, and public health sciences, have examined this topic. Social class can be examined according to defining factors — education, income, or occupational status — or subjective components, like perceived rank in society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweetened beverage</span> Type of beverage

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) are any beverage with added sugar. They have been described as "liquid candy". Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages have been linked to weight gain and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease mortality. According to the CDC, consumption of sweetened beverages is also associated with unhealthy behaviors like smoking, not getting enough sleep and exercise, and eating fast food often and not enough fruits regularly.

Renee Dufault is an American research scientist. She is a former Food and Drug Administration researcher and whistleblower who brought media attention to three separate studies that discovered mercury contained within high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Dufault has asserted a direct connection between inorganic mercury and glucose levels in the blood that showed dietary inorganic mercury exposure may be a risk factor in the development of diabetes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preventive nutrition</span> Branch of nutrition science

Preventive Nutrition is a branch of nutrition science with the goal of preventing, delaying, and/or reducing the impacts of disease and disease-related complications. It is concerned with a high level of personal well-being, disease prevention, and diagnosis of recurring health problems or symptoms of discomfort which are often precursors to health issues. The overweight and obese population numbers have increased over the last 40 years and numerous chronic diseases are associated with obesity. Preventive nutrition may assist in prolonging the onset of non-communicable diseases and may allow adults to experience more "healthy living years." There are various ways of educating the public about preventive nutrition. Information regarding preventive nutrition is often communicated through public health forums, government programs and policies, or nutritional education. For example, in the United States, preventive nutrition is taught to the public through the use of the food pyramid or MyPlate initiatives.

The first 1,000 days describes the period from conception to 24 months of age in child development. This is considered a "critical period" in which sufficient nutrition and environmental factors have life-long effects on a child's overall health. While adequate nutrition can be exceptionally beneficial during this critical period, inadequate nutrition may also be detrimental to the child. This is because children establish many of their lifetime epigenetic characteristics in their first 1,000 days. Medical and public health interventions early on in child development during the first 1,000 days may have higher rates of success compared to those achieved outside of this period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trans fat</span> Type of unsaturated fat

Trans fat, also called trans-unsaturated fatty acids, or trans fatty acids, is a type of unsaturated fat that occurs in foods. Trace concentrations of trans fats occur naturally, but large amounts are found in some processed foods. Since consumption of trans fats is unhealthy, artificial trans fats are highly regulated or banned in many nations. However, they are still widely consumed in developing nations, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. The World Health Organization (WHO) had set a goal to make the world free from industrially produced trans fat by the end of 2023. The goal was not met, and the WHO announced another goal "for accelerated action till 2025 to complete this effort" along with associated support on 1 February 2024.

Food psychology is the psychological study of how people choose the food they eat, along with food and eating behaviors. Food psychology is an applied psychology, using existing psychological methods and findings to understand food choice and eating behaviors. Factors studied by food psychology include food cravings, sensory experiences of food, perceptions of food security and food safety, price, available product information such as nutrition labeling and the purchasing environment. Food psychology also encompasses broader sociocultural factors such as cultural perspectives on food, public awareness of "what constitutes a sustainable diet", and food marketing including "food fraud" where ingredients are intentionally motivated for economic gain as opposed to nutritional value. These factors are considered to interact with each other along with an individual's history of food choices to form new food choices and eating behaviors.

References

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