title: Does personality affect dietary intake?
abstract: The purpose of this review is to evaluate the evidence for an association between the Big Five dimensions of personality, dietary intake, and compliance to dietary recommendations. Poor diet is a known risk factor for overweight and obesity and associated chronic lifestyle diseases and it has been proposed that personality may be linked to dietary choices. Findings from cross-sectional surveys from different countries and cultures show a positive association between Openness and consumption of fruits and vegetables and between Conscientiousness and healthy eating. Although no evidence has been found that personality dimensions are associated with adherence to dietary recommendations over time, Conscientiousness is associated with a number of prosocial and health-promoting behaviors that include avoiding alcohol-related harm, binge-drinking, and smoking, and adherence to medication regimens. With emerging evidence of an association between higher Conscientiousness and lower obesity risk, the hypothesis that higher Conscientiousness may predict adoption of healthy dietary and other lifestyle recommendations appears to be supported.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Trevor E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Lunn
authors.affiliation: Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Caryl A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Nowson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Worsley
authors.affiliation: Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: susan.torres@deakin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Torres
mesh_terms: D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology*; D010551:Personality
keywords: Big Five; Conscientiousness; Dietary intake; Openness; Personality