title: Taste and food reinforcement in non-overweight youth.
abstract: Food reinforcement is related to increased energy intake, cross-sectionally related to obesity and prospectively related to weight gain in children, adolescents and adults. There is very limited research on how different characteristics of food are related to food reinforcement, and none on how foods from different taste categories (sweet, savory, salty) are related to food reinforcement. We tested differences in food reinforcement for favorite foods in these categories and used a reinforcing value questionnaire to assess how food reinforcement was related to energy intake in 198 non-overweight 8- to 12-year-old children. Results showed stronger food reinforcement for sweet foods in comparison to savory or salty foods. In multiple regression models, controlling for child sex, minority status and age, average reinforcing value was related to total energy and fat intake, and reinforcing value of savory foods was related to total energy and fat intake. Factor analysis showed one factor, the motivation to eat, rather than separate factors based on different taste categories. Liking ratings were unrelated to total energy intake. These results suggest that while there are differences in the reinforcing value of food by taste groups, there are no strong differences in the relationship between reinforcing value of food by taste groups and energy or macronutrient intake.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Farber Hall, Room G56, 3435 Main Street, Building #26, Buffalo, NY, USA. Electronic address: lhenet@buffalo.edu.
authors.forename: Leonard H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Farber Hall, Room G56, 3435 Main Street, Building #26, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Katelyn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Farber Hall, Room G56, 3435 Main Street, Building #26, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Scheid
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Farber Hall, Room G56, 3435 Main Street, Building #26, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Eden
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gebre
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Farber Hall, Room G56, 3435 Main Street, Building #26, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Farber Hall, Room G56, 3435 Main Street, Building #26, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Rocco A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Paluch
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Temple
mesh_terms: D001066:Appetite; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet; D004435:Eating; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology; D012016:Reference Values; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D013649:Taste; D055697:Taste Perception
keywords: Children; Energy intake; Liking; Reinforcing value; Taste