title: Can the Palatability of Healthy, Satiety-Promoting Foods Increase with Repeated Exposure during Weight Loss?
abstract: Repeated exposure to sugary, fatty, and salty foods often enhances their appeal. However, it is unknown if exposure influences learned palatability of foods typically promoted as part of a healthy diet. We tested whether the palatability of pulse containing foods provided during a weight loss intervention which were particularly high in fiber and low in energy density would increase with repeated exposure. At weeks 0, 3, and 6, participants (n =42; body mass index (BMI) 31.2 ± 4.3 kg/m²) were given a test battery of 28 foods, approximately half which had been provided as part of the intervention, while the remaining half were not foods provided as part of the intervention. In addition, about half of each of the foods (provided as part or not provided as part of the intervention) contained pulses. Participants rated the taste, appearance, odor, and texture pleasantness of each food, and an overall flavor pleasantness score was calculated as the mean of these four scores. Linear mixed model analyses showed an exposure type by week interaction effect for taste, texture and overall flavor pleasantness indicating statistically significant increases in ratings of provided foods in taste and texture from weeks 0 to 3 and 0 to 6, and overall flavor from weeks 0 to 6. Repeated exposure to these foods, whether they contained pulses or not, resulted in a ~4% increase in pleasantness ratings. The long-term clinical relevance of this small increase requires further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Ecology, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA. kanguah@latech.edu.|Department of Nutrition Science and the Ingestive Behavior Research Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. kanguah@latech.edu.
authors.forename: Katherene O-B
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Anguah
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, The University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. jlovejoy@arivale.com.|Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA 98019, USA. jlovejoy@arivale.com.
authors.forename: Jennifer C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lovejoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. bacraig@stat.purdue.edu.
authors.forename: Bruce A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.affiliation: The School of Nutrition and Exercise Science, and the Bastyr University Research Institute, Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA 98028, USA. mal.gehrke@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Malinda M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gehrke
authors.affiliation: The School of Nutrition and Exercise Science, and the Bastyr University Research Institute, Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA 98028, USA. phil@nutritionalternatives.com.
authors.forename: Philip A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: The School of Nutrition and Exercise Science, and the Bastyr University Research Institute, Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA 98028, USA. petraelena@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Petra E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Eichelsdoerfer
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Programs in Nutrition, Boston University/College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College, Boston, MA 02215, USA. mamccr@bu.edu.|Boston Nutrition and Obesity Research Center, Boston, MA 02118, USA. mamccr@bu.edu.
authors.forename: Megan A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: McCrory
keywords: palatability; pulses; repeated exposure; weight loss