Dietary Intake Pleasure
The CNP Dietary Intake Pleasure Research Category consolidates research exploring the ways in which what we eat can bring us joy, happiness, fulfillment, and well-being. To view each original study on the open internet, click “Original.” To view the CNP-written abstract summary, click “CNP Summary.” While only some of the CNP-written abstract summaries are available below for free, all abstract summaries are available to CNP members through the CNP Library Membership.
FEATURED CNP RESEARCH SUMMARY
The use of conventional methods to promote healthy dietary habits is met with limited results on improving the food choices and dietary patterns, and thus researchers and health professionals should exercise added prudence and investigate alternative interventions to achieve results, for example, encouraging healthy eating through pleasure. In this study by Landry et al. (2018), the authors investigated existing healthy food perception and definitions of eating pleasure in a sample of healthy adults from the Canadian province of Quebec. In particular, the authors endeavored to identify the common grounds existing between healthy eating and the definitions of eating pleasure, and any existing differences due to participant’s sex and Body Mass Index (BMI). By gathering data from 12 focus groups (men and women, normal weight to obese, n = 92), the authors discovered that most participants defined pleasure derived from eating to be dependant on the sensory attributes of food and the involved psychosocial circumstances. On the other hand, most participants defined healthy eating through the nutritional attributes of food and through food intake-regulating mechanisms. The majority of main perceptions regarding food were similar across participant groups based on their sex or BMI. The authors conclude that their results demonstrated that in most participants’ points of view, the concept of pleasure derived from food and healthy dietary habits appear to be different, however, a degree of congruence remains, making possible the assimilation of conceptual pleasure derived from food with healthy dietary habit-promoting interventions. [NPID: Eating pleasure, healthy eating, qualitative research, Quebec, adults]
2021
Culinary happiness
The downside of receiving dietary and nutritional counsel is the animosity it may generate due to restrictive or intrusive perception, however, Kalra, Joshi & Das (2021) suggest that this behavioral reaction can be modulated through the incorporation of happiness as part of the counseling process. Culinary happiness encompasses food acquisition, preparation, plating, and preservation, and as per the authors, is defined as the act of sharing nutritional, dietary, and cooking advice while preserving the happiness generated from consuming food. [NPID: Diabetes, dietary, endocrinology, person centered care, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes]
CNP Research Summary can be found in the CNP Library Membership
2020
Can eating pleasure be a lever for healthy eating? A systematic scoping review of eating pleasure and its links with dietary behaviors and health
In this review by Bédard et al. (2020), the authors conducted a comprehensive scoping review of databases (PsycInfo, Medline, Embase, Web of Science, ERIC, ABI/inform global, Sociology Abstract, CINAHL, Grey literature [ProQuest Dissertations, Theses, Google]) to outline currently available evidence on, one: the key dimensions of eating pleasure, two: the links between eating pleasure and its key dimensions with health and diet related outcomes, and three: intervention strategies that utilize eating pleasure in promoting a healthy diet. Analysis of the 119 studies that met inclusion criteria defined 89 sub-domains of eating pleasure that generated 22 key dimensions, the most prevalent of which was linked to sensory experiences (reflected in 50.9% of included documents), social experience (42.7%), other food characteristics (27.3%), the process of preparing food (19.1%), food novelty (16.4%), food variety (14.5%), mindful eating behaviors (13.6%), visceral eating behaviors (12.7%), location of food consumption (11.8%), and the memories related to eating food (10.9%). A majority of included studies (57.1%) demonstrated a positive link between dietary outcomes and the pleasure of eating, while a total of 45 studies (62.2% cross-sectional) linked the pleasure of eating to health and/or dietary outcomes. Data on the relationship between eating pleasure and health outcomes was not as robust, fluctuating with any changes in the domains of interest. Lastly, the authors found that targeting sensory experiences, mindful eating, cooking, sharing of food, and positive memories related to food, lead to favorable outcomes, based on evidence from 11 independent interventions. The authors conclude that using the understanding behind eating pleasure can serve to fashion systematic, evidence-based healthy diet promoting interventions, provided that more studies are conducted to further this understanding sufficiently. [NPID: Cross sectional studies, diet, healthy eating, feeding behavior, food preferences, health promotion]
2016
Pleasure as an ally of healthy eating? Contrasting visceral and Epicurean eating pleasure and their association with portion size preferences and wellbeing
Epicurean eating pleasure, as defined by Cornil & Chandon (2016), is the pleasure one experiences from appreciating the aesthetics and symbolism of food. This definition is dissimilar to another eating concept, visceral eating, in which one derives eating pleasure from the visceral experience of hunger, internal emotional urges, or external eating cues that may contribute to overeating or compromise self-regulation of dietary intake. To evaluate both approaches, the authors devised and validated a scale to evaluate Epicurean eating pleasure tendencies as a distinct entity from visceral pleasure, which is classically evaluated using the emotional eating scale and the external eating scale. Findings from the Epicurean eating pleasure tendencies scale demonstrate that Epicurean eating favors smaller portion sizes, elevated overall well-being, and a favorable body mass index score, and is more likely to be demonstrated in women than men irrespective of age, education, or income. In summary, the authors promote the adoption of a more encompassing, holistic approach that integrates Epicurean eating pleasure with well-being and beneficial dietary habits, as opposed to the currently perceived morality associating eating pleasure with untoward visceral urges. [NPID: Food choices, food reward, pleasure, portion size, wellbeing]
CNP Research Summary can be found in the CNP Library Membership
2020
Can eating pleasure be a lever for healthy eating? A systematic scoping review of eating pleasure and its links with dietary behaviors and health
This scoping review was conducted to compile evidence from several databases (PsycInfo, Embase, Medline, ERIC, CINAHL, Web of Science, ABI/Inform global and Sociology Abstract, in addition to ProQuest Dissertations & Theses and Google), where Bédard et al. (2020) aimed to summarize the current evidence on eating pleasure, the identified key dimensions of eating pleasure, the links between eating pleasure and dietary and health outcomes, and currently available interventions utilizing eating pleasure to enhance healthy eating behaviors. A total of 119 studies meeting the inclusion criteria were included, investigating 89 sub-dimensions of eating pleasure, which was further compiled into 22 key dimensions, namely, evoked sensory experiences, other food characteristics, social experience, novelty, preparation, variety, visceral eating, mindful eating, location, and associated memories. A majority of studies were cross-sectional in design, and demonstrated a positive association between diet and eating pleasure, however, this association varied according to the dimension of eating pleasure being investigated, in terms of favorable health and dietary outcomes. Lastly, the authors highlight the potential of interventions focusing on cooking/sharing activities, sensory experience, mindful eating, and positive memories related to healthy food based on 11 publications. In conclusion, the authors present eating pleasure as a potential avenue to aid the promotion of healthy eating, recognizing, however, that the current body of evidence is insufficient, and that systematic, evidence-based interventions are necessary to further understand the relationship between eating pleasure and dietary behaviors. [NPID: Dietary behavior, pattern, eating pleasure, health promotion, scoping review, pleasure dimensions]
2020
The assessment of eating pleasure among older adults: Development and preliminary validation of the anticipatory and consummatory eating pleasure (ACEPS)
Deriving pleasure from eating is an important factor in enhancing and maintaining an adequate nutritional status in the geriatric population. Bailly et al. (2020) investigated the utility, validity and conformity of the Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale (a scale that differentiates between the experience of pleasure from anticipating and consuming food), when used on a geraitric population (consisting of 199 meal-dependent participants over the age of 65) in their prospective validation study. The authors collected data on demography, nutrition, appetite, and depressive symptoms, in addition to a consolidation of 16-self reported items, to formulate their anticipatory and consummatory eating pleasure scale (ACEPS). Analysis of the data revealed a two-factor model: the anticipatory eating pleasure and the consummatory eating pleasure models, consisting of four items each. ACEPS demonstrated uniform results, wherein a higher ACEPS score was significantly linked with appetite. A high consummatory eating pleasure score substantially related to a better nutritional status and a lower incidence of depressive symptoms. In addition, older participants and those receiving their meals through delivery services (such as meals-on-wheels) scored lower in anticipatory pleasure. The authors conclude that the ACEPS, a novel encompassing scale to evaluate pleasure from eating, successfully differentiated pleasure from anticipation vs. pleasure from consuming food. ACEPS presents an effective, easily administered, early detection and intervention measure to address malnutrition and health decline in a vulnerable geriatric population. ACEPS highlights enhancing pleasure from anticipation of meals as a potential embarkation to boost geriatric food intake. [NPID: Appetite, eating pleasure, nutritional status, older adults, validation]
CNP Research Summary can be found in the CNP Library Membership
2019
Promoting healthy eating in adults: An evaluation of pleasure-oriented versus health-oriented messages
The inefficacy of current healthy dietary promoting interventions, as individuals grapple with adherence to dietary guidelines, raises the need for more effective approaches. Recent publications highlighted the promise of using pleasure derived from eating to encourage consuming healthy foods. In this study by Vaillancourt et al. (2019), the authors juxtapose insights held on food, the impact of pleasure-targeting and healthy diet-targeting interventions in encouraging healthy dietary habits. The authors introduced two analogous dietary leaflets, one aimed at pleasure and the other at healthy diet, to 100 adults (50% men, 45.1 ± 13.0 years of age), who were divided randomly in two groups and assigned one of the leaflets. Perception of relayed messages, degree of effectiveness, approach to healthy eating and to emotions, attitudes regarding healthy eating, and intentions towards adopting a healthy diet were investigated using an online questionnaire, with further evaluation of intervention efficacy and data collection done through in-person visits between two to four weeks after questionnaire submission. The results demonstrated that the relayed messages led to a substantial positive impact on participants, with the pleasure-targeting messages effectively relaying that healthy dietary habits can be pleasurable. The parameters of relayed message efficacy and emotions evoked by reading were found to be homogenous in both groups, and both leaflets substantially enhanced the overall perspectives to healthy dietary habits and the intentions to adopt a healthy diet. Further analysis revealed that the pleasure-targeting leaflet induced a stronger emotional response to healthy eating, while the health-targeting leaflet enhanced the perceptions towards healthy eating. The authors conclude that these leaflets are suitable for encouraging healthy dietary habits via their two perceptible paradigms (health and pleasure), and that distinct impacts can be observed depending on which paradigm is employed. [NPID: Healthy eating, eating pleasure, message orientation, leaflet, healthy eating promotion, adults]
2021
The denied pleasure of eating: A qualitative study with functionally diverse people in Spain
In this qualitative study by Cipriano-Crespo et al. (2021), the authors investigate the existing challenges in evaluating pleasure from eating in a context of a functionally assorted population, situated on personal accounts and the Grounded Theory (a research methodology particular to qualitative social science). Furthering the understanding of how an assorted population experiences pleasure from food can bring forth new perspectives to combat loss of pleasure and motivation from eating food. Analyzing interview data from 27 participants (aged between 18-75 years, identifying with a functional insufficiency affecting the dynamics of eating), the authors identified four main analysis thematics: obligatory eating, fear of eating, social aspects of food and the role of visual and gustatory food aspects. The authors conclude that these themes highlight the significance of accounting for the individual experiences of pleasure in the context of eating. [NPID: Disability, pleasure, food, qualitative research]
CNP Research Summary can be found in the CNP Library Membership
2022
Olfactory and gustatory disorders caused by COVID-19: How to regain the pleasure of eating?
As a byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic, symptoms of anosmia (loss of smell) and ageusia (loss of taste) have been reported to variable degrees. Smell and taste are important in the process of perceiving pleasure from food. These disorders may have an impact on appetite and consumption of essential nutrients during the recovery from COVID-19. In this short commentary by Oliveira et al. (2022), the authors outline reported derangements of taste and smell caused by COVID-19 and their impact on pleasure from eating and on nutritional status, in addition to highlighting knowledge gaps to guide future studies. The authors comment that firm food textures can excite the trigeminal nerve (taste) and that vivid food colors can regulate brain metabolism and invoke pleasure. In tandem, the use of encapsulation technologies (the act of incorporating food ingredients, enzymes and small molecules into capsules) can give rise to new food constitutions that may help stimulate or inhibit distinct sensations. Thus, several food industry avenues can be taken advantage of, and therefore, a multidisciplinary approach is necessary. [NPID: Anosmia, ageusia, encapsulation, food, sensory, texture]
2009
The relationship between restrained eating, pleasure associated with eating, and well-being re- visited
Previous works by Appleton & McGowan (2006) stated that eating pleasure plays a key role in correlating eating restraint and overall well-being. In this study by Remick et al. (2009), the authors used questionnaires to reassess the consistency of the relationship between eating pleasure and eating restraint and how this relationship can impact well-being. The observed results showed substantial links between eating restraint and well-being, with higher eating restraint scores linked to lower scores of self-clarity (i.e., confidence of one’s own attributes), life satisfaction and higher neuroticism (i.e., an individual’s experience of their surrounding environment/the world as threatening, risky or stressful). In agreement with previous literature, pleasure was also found to play an important role in regulating self-clarity and neuroticism through its relationship with eating restraint. Further analysis of the results demonstrated that individuals with higher levels of eating pleasure and eating restraint had the lowest levels of self-clarity and highest levels of neuroticism, with a reversal of this pattern seen in individuals with high levels of eating pleasure and low levels of eating restraint. The authors conclude that their study further validates the key role pleasure plays in regulating the links between eating restraint and well-being. [NPID: Restrained eating, pleasure, life satisfaction, self-concept clarity, neuroticism, food]
CNP Research Summary can be found in the CNP Library Membership
2018
Is eating pleasure compatible with healthy eating? A qualitative study on Quebecers' perceptions
The use of conventional methods to promote healthy dietary habits is met with limited results on improving the food choices and dietary patterns, and thus researchers and health professionals should exercise added prudence and investigate alternative interventions to achieve results, for example, encouraging healthy eating through pleasure. In this study by Landry et al. (2018), the authors investigated existing healthy food perception and definitions of eating pleasure in a sample of healthy adults from the Canadian province of Quebec. In particular, the authors endeavored to identify the common grounds existing between healthy eating and the definitions of eating pleasure, and any existing differences due to participant’s sex and Body Mass Index (BMI). By gathering data from 12 focus groups (men and women, normal weight to obese, n = 92), the authors discovered that most participants defined pleasure derived from eating to be dependant on the sensory attributes of food and the involved psychosocial circumstances. On the other hand, most participants defined healthy eating through the nutritional attributes of food and through food intake-regulating mechanisms. The majority of main perceptions regarding food were similar across participant groups based on their sex or BMI. The authors conclude that their results demonstrated that in most participants’ points of view, the concept of pleasure derived from food and healthy dietary habits appear to be different, however, a degree of congruence remains, making possible the assimilation of conceptual pleasure derived from food with healthy dietary habit-promoting interventions. [NPID: Eating pleasure, healthy eating, qualitative research, Quebec, adults]
2002
Talking with your mouth full: Gustatory Mmms and the embodiment of pleasure
In this article by Wiggins (2010), the author investigates the expression of pleasure derived from food from a socially interactive and digressive lens. Published psychological works on food and eating investigated individual consumption, and only conceptualized the somatic experiences of food, which may be regarded as a lack in appreciating the parts played by social dialogue and interaction (elements of the experience of eating). Pleasure derived from food was investigated herein in a qualitative nature by looking at examples of mealtime conversations in family and group settings, with the “gustatory mmm” denoted as the key phrase of analytical interest. The intonation and order of mmm is critical to the expression of pleasure, and represents an immediate and unprompted manner to express pleasure, albeit lacking in distinct details. In addition, the gustatory mmm personifies an individual’s sensation of pleasure. Thus, the author comments on the three levels of contribution that this work provides. Firstly, it expands on existing research in eating exercises to include the domains of social interaction and conversation. Secondly, it brings about conversations on discursive psychology and expands its domains with additional true-to-life material. Finally, this work adds to the increasing accretion of conversational analysis on mmms and response expressions. [NPID: Gustatory expressions, pleasure from food, discursive psychology]
CNP Research Summary can be found in the CNP Library Membership
2019
Moderate eating with pleasure and without effort: Toward understanding the underlying psychological mechanisms
In this publication by Dijker (2019), the author discusses how utilizing the interactions between taste and pleasure could modulate eating behaviors to improve satiety. This can be achieved by combining the available findings on mental imagery, savoring of food, mindfulness, eating behaviors, and cooking and dinner rituals, which would allow for enjoying the process of eating without arduous self-control. According to the author, the objective experience of food can be attributed to two factors, namely, the summation of sensorimotor input and the motivational mechanisms that drive food sharing, social aspects of food, and the impact of dinner rituals on inhibiting aggressive behavioral patterns. [NPID: Authenticity, consciousness, cooking, dinner rituals, mindfulness, savoring, self-regulation]
2019
The experiential pleasure of food: A savoring journey to food well-being
Batat et al. (2019) present their work on the experiential pleasure of food (EPF), defined as the long-lasting cognitive and emotional pleasure gains from multifaceted food experiences (inclusive of multisensory, joint, and ethnic elements). The authors expand on previous works by Cornil and Chandon (2016a and 2016b) on epicurean eating pleasure (EEP) via recognizing and characterizing three key stages (contemplation, connection, and creation), their prerequisites, and their resulting influence on a consumer’s food well-being (Block et al., 2011). EPF (vs. EEP) seeks to enhance consumer well-being, and investigates the impact of marketing and public policies, in addition to identifying knowledge gaps that can direct future research towards food well-being (FWB) (Block et al., 2011). The authors comment that their conceptual work on EPF presents a frame for linking pleasure and EEP with FWB to help researchers, policy makers and marketers further their understanding on long-lasting healthy eating by thinking of food more of a source of pleasure than a health risk. [NPID: Experiential Pleasure of Food, food well-being, EPF journey, consumer well-being, healthy eating, public policy, savoring]
CNP Research Summary can be found in the CNP Library Membership
2005
The pleasures of eating: A qualitative analysis
In their analysis of the pleasures of eating, Macht et al. (2005) conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 participants (56% females), revealing two important points regarding pleasure from eating following the qualitative evaluation of the interviews. Firstly, that pleasure derived from eating involves several constituents: stimulation from the presented foods, the surrounding environment, and existing social factors (such as eating alone or with others), the physical and mental state of the individual and individual perspective towards the pleasure of eating, the rituals and processes involved in preparing food, eating patterns, and associated positive emotions and evoked sensations. Secondly, that pleasure derived from eating is governed by external and internal factors, where external factors are those not related to food, such as the surrounding environment and social factors, which play a role in enhancing the positive reactions evoked by food and tie them to a distinct environment. Internal conditions encompass motivational, cognitive, and behavioral elements: the preexisting intention to enjoy food for example is found in individuals who identify with enjoying eating, and practice dietary behaviors like slow eating and introspection of the presented food and surrounding environment, and frequently partake in social engagements before, during, and after a meal. The authors comment that the understanding of pleasure from eating is best framed as “appetite gestalten”, i.e. an individually unique combination of stimuli, internal and external variables, and evoked responses. Furthermore, the authors comment on the need for a multidisciplinary approach to guide future research. [NPID: Pleasure of eating, qualitative, eating behavior, affective reaction, appetite]
2015
The pleasure of food: underlying brain mechanisms of eating and other pleasures
Culinary professionals understand the transformative properties of food. Recent studies demonstrated the use of molecular gastronomy and gastro-physical techniques in crafting modern meals with unique textures and flavor, gaining much renown. Kringelbach (2015) argued that expanding our understanding of the underlying mechanisms behind the pleasures of food in the brain would further modern culinary practices. In his review, the author presented a summary of published works investigating the foundation for eating behaviors in the brain and how food elicits pleasure responses. Studying food has furthered our knowledge of pleasure and how to measure it in a quantitative manner, thus, the author comments that new scientific findings can aid culinary professionals and provide a method for combining the scientific and practical aspects of food to enhance pleasure and happiness. [NPID: Gastronomy, gastrophysics, culinary, pleasure from food, chefs]
CNP Research Summary can be found in the CNP Library Membership
2019
Moderate eating with pleasure and without effort: Toward understanding the underlying psychological mechanisms
The psychological theory of moderate eating rose from consolidating research on the fields of elementary eating patterns, savoring, mental imagery, mindfulness, cooking, and dinner customs. This theory does not necessitate arduous self-control or shunning away from eating pleasures in order to achieve moderation in eating, presenting the ideal that the combination of taste and pleasure derived from food from an objective point of view would result in a transition of eating patterns to a more mindful condition, which would augment feelings of satiety. In this article, Dijker (2019) discusses how an objective pattern of thought towards food can be brought forth using (a) compounding sensorimotor expectations and (b) the motivational processes behind prosocial manners, sharing of food, and dinner customs that prevent aggressive behaviors. [NPID: Authenticity, consciousness, cooking, dinner rituals, mindfulness, savoring, self-regulation]
2021
Well-being and cooking behavior: Using the positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment (perma) model as a theoretical framework
Psychosocial distress is on the rise in the United States. Industrial food production progressively replaced food produced in households as part of the salient lifestyle in America, in spite of an observed rise in culinary interests. Current research in cooking fixated on the relationship between cooking and nutritive and/or dietary properties, however, the benefits to psychological and overall well-being that cooking may provide have not been given the same attention. Insufficient work has been done to explore the psychosocial benefits of cooking, and thus these researchers conducted this literature review to demonstrate how the use of Seligman’s prominent well-being model, the Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment (PERMA) model, can define cooking and the undertakings involved in preparing food. The authors postulated that the PERMA model’s use to define cooking can provide a conceptual structure to help investigate the psychosocial impact of cooking, with possible further expansions on the concepts presented to entrench positive psychology practices in driving future research on psychosocial health and chronic diseases linked to nutritional derangements. [NPID: Cooking, well-being, psychosocial health, PERMA model]