title: Food neophobia associates with lower dietary quality and higher BMI in Finnish adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Food neophobia has been associated with decreased consumption of vegetables mainly among children. We hypothesized that food neophobia in adults is also associated with lower overall dietary quality and higher BMI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for the present cross-sectional analyses were derived from parents in a follow-up family study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The STEPS study, a longitudinal study of health and development of a cohort of children born in south-west Finland.
  
  
  METHODS
  The parents, 1178 women (age 19-45 years, mean 32·2 years) and 1013 men (age 18-57 years, mean 34·1 years), completed a questionnaire at home when their child was 13 months old. The questionnaire included the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS; range 10-70), the Index of Diet Quality (IDQ; range 0-16) and a measure of fruit and vegetable consumption. At that time the participants' height and weight were also measured by a research nurse to calculate BMI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the food neophilics (FNS score 10-24), the food neophobics (FNS score 40-70) consumed fewer vegetables (women: 15 v. 10 portions/week; men: 13 v. 7 portions/week), scored lower on the IDQ (women: 9·7 v. 8·5; men: 8·8 v. 7·8) and had higher BMI (women: 24·2 v. 26·0 kg/m²; men: 26·5 v. 27·5 kg/m²) as tested by one-way ANOVA, with all P values <0·001 in women and <0·05 in men. The food neophobics followed a diet lower in nutritional quality than did the food neophilics, especially regarding vegetables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Food neophobia may complicate adaptation to dietary recommendations and predispose to overweight.
authors.affiliation: 1Food Chemistry and Food Development,Department of Biochemistry,University of Turku,Vatselankatu 2 (Arcanum),FI-20500 Turku,Finland.
authors.forename: Antti J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Knaapila
authors.affiliation: 1Food Chemistry and Food Development,Department of Biochemistry,University of Turku,Vatselankatu 2 (Arcanum),FI-20500 Turku,Finland.
authors.forename: Mari A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sandell
authors.affiliation: 3Turku Institute for Child and Youth Research,University of Turku,Turku,Finland.
authors.forename: Jenni
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vaarno
authors.affiliation: 2Functional Foods Forum,University of Turku,Turku,Finland.
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hoppu
authors.affiliation: 1Food Chemistry and Food Development,Department of Biochemistry,University of Turku,Vatselankatu 2 (Arcanum),FI-20500 Turku,Finland.
authors.forename: Tuuli
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Puolimatka
authors.affiliation: 3Turku Institute for Child and Youth Research,University of Turku,Turku,Finland.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaljonen
authors.affiliation: 3Turku Institute for Child and Youth Research,University of Turku,Turku,Finland.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lagström
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005518:Food Preferences; D063427:Food Quality; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Diet quality; Food neophobia; STEPS study; Vegetable consumption