Diet and Personality

This 2022 article discusses the connection between personality traits, taste perception, and food behavior. Several personality characteristics have already been linked with several aspects of taste and smell. Personality traits have particularly been associated with ability to identify specific smells and with aspects of flavor perception. A person’s openness to new experiences has also been related to preference for spicy and salty food, and possibly with preference for crunchy, sour, and bitter foods/drinks. Moreover, anxious people appear to enjoy a much narrower range of foods. Other relationships have been identified involving taste, including a bidirectional correlation with mood. Furthermore, certain personality-based differences in taste/flavor perception and food behavior have both been associated with varying levels of neurotransmitters and hormones in the body. This study highlights the current evidence on the connections between personality traits and taste perception/food behavior. [NPID: personality, food behavior, smells, flavor perception, diet and personality, mood, taste, gustation, olfaction]

In this 2021 study, Polish and Spanish physical education students were analyzed on the quality of their diets, to determine the relationship between their diet quality and different personality traits. Overall, there were 219 participants from Poland, and 280 participants from Spain. The Pro-healthy Diet Index (pHDI-10) and the Non-healthy Diet Index (nHDI-14) were both used to judge the students’ diet quality. Both Polish and Spanish students demonstrated low levels of healthy and unhealthy diet indices. But these indices increased in those with certain personality traits such as higher extraversion. The data also revealed that individuals who scored higher for openness to experiences and agreeableness were more likely to have more unhealthy diets, while those with more conscientiousness generally ate healthier diets. But the relationship between diet and personality was found to be influenced by the country of residence. As an example, increased conscientiousness was associated with higher scores in the non-healthy diet index (in other words, unhealthier diets) among students from Spain, whereas it was linked with lower scores (meaning healthier diets) among students from Poland. [NPID: personality, Big Five personality traits, diet quality indicators, food product groups, physical education students, Polish, Spanish]

The aim of this study was to assess whether restricting the consumption of animal-based products can be linked with lower weight and increased depressive symptoms. The researchers also investigated if these potential associations may be affected by the personality of the individual. It was hypothesized that greater dietary restriction of animal-based products would correlate with greater depressive symptoms, lower weight, and certain personality traits. The results showed a link between higher restriction of animal-based products with lower BMI, but no connection with depressive score was detected. In terms of personality, lower extraversion was linked with less frequently eating animal-based products. Furthermore, personality traits were strongly related to depressive symptoms. This data may help encourage future studies to test the efficacy of restricting animal-based products as a preventative or therapeutic strategy in overweight and obesity. [NPID: animal-based food products, animal products, weight, personality, extraversion, diet and personality, depression, BMI]

The purpose of this 2019 study was to determine the relationship between eating habits and personality traits among university students in Ghana. An eating questionnaire was used to check dietary habits, and the participants were also examined on the five big personality traits (extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness, and neuroticism). Most students scored highly in conscientiousness, which was a trait associated with diet variety and sugar moderation. All the personality traits except one (neuroticism) were strongly linked with at least one dietary habit. For instance, higher scores in extraversion and openness correlated with greater food interest. But additional studies are required to identify people at risk of diet-related diseases. [NPID: personality, Ghana, dietary habits, personality traits, extraversion, openness]

In this 2020 study, adults in Australia were surveyed to test whether eating habits are related to personality or weight status (measured by the body mass index). The 13,892 participants were examined on their five main personality traits (agreeableness, neuroticism, conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness). Their diets were also analyzed to identify three eating habits. Eating plant-based food and fish (i.e. vegetables, fruits, legumes, fish) was associated with higher personality scores for openness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability. Conversely, eating meat such as poultry and red meat was linked with greater extraversion but lower openness and poorer emotional stability. Consuming carbohydrate-based food such as bread, pasta, and snacks showed correlations with lower conscientiousness, extraversion, and emotional stability. With regards to body weight status, higher BMI scores were related to lower conscientiousness and emotional stability, but also to higher levels of agreeableness. BMI had connections with each eating habit. These results highlight the relationships between personality and individual health-related behavior. [NPID: personality, eating habits, food choices, BMI, Australia, carbohydrates, meat, vegetables, vegetarians, personality traits]

Hadj-Abo et al. (2020) examines 77 individuals with type 2 diabetes on their impulsivity and need for cognition (which is also referred to as cognitive motivation/intellectual engagement and signifies elaborated thinking). The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential roles of these personality traits in diabetes self-management and glycemic control. While increased cognitive motivation was associated with greater diabetes self-management and glycemic control, impulsivity appeared to show the opposite trend. These results suggest that need for cognition may be a vital protective factor for effective diabetes self-management and blood glucose control, while impulsivity may be a risk factor. The author proposes a patient screening system where a questionnaire would collect important information on impulsivity and other personality traits, allowing diabetes treatments and programs tailored towards these traits.

Since there is limited information on how individual differences in personality relate to following a vegetarian diet, this 2018 study planned to estimate the prevalence of vegetarians in 2 groups of German representatives. In addition, Pfeiler & Egloff set out to evaluate how socio-demographic variables affect dietary behavior, and to compare the personality traits, political attitudes, and health-related variables of vegetarians with meat eaters. The difference between the first and second studies was that study 1 had a strict definition of a vegetarian, while study 2 also included individuals who predominantly followed a vegetarian diet. The proportion of self-defined vegetarians in study 2 (5.97%) was higher than in study 1 (2.74%). The researchers found that subjects who were female, younger, and more educated were more likely to follow a vegetarian diet in both studies. Specifically in study 2, vegetarians reported higher income than the meat eaters. Furthermore, the vegetarians and meateaters differed in terms of personality traits, political attitudes, and health-related variables. Analysis models revealed that people with higher scores in openness and political interest had a higher probability of being vegetarian, whereas those who scored higher in conscientiousness and conservatism were less likely to be vegetarian. This study highlights the individual differences in socio-demographics, personality traits, and political attitudes between vegetarians and meat eaters. [NPID: meat eaters, personality, vegetarian, traits]

The purpose of this 2018 study was to discover differences in personality, if any, between vegetarians and omnivores. Forestell & Nezlek (2018) recruited 276 vegetarians (those who avoided meat and fish), 1191 semi-vegetarians (those who ate meat and/or fish), and 4955 omnivores. After measuring the participants’ personality (the five factor model) and depressive symptoms, it was apparent that vegetarians and semi-vegetarians were more open to new experiences, while also showing signs of being more neurotic and depressed than omnivores. No variations in conscientiousness nor agreeableness as a function of eating habits could be found. These differences in personalities between vegetarians and semi-vegetarians with omnivores identified might help improve our comprehension of individual differences in food preferences. [NPID: personality, vegetarian, omnivore, openness, conscientiousness]

The purpose of this 2018 study was to develop a reliable and valid instrument that could measure the extent to which people are confident in their ability to adhere to the Mediterranean diet. This instrument was named the Self-Efficacy Scale for Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (SESAMeD). The study was carried out in two stages, with stage 1 set to assist with reducing and refining the list by administering the pilot questionnaires to 170 students. Stage 2 involved evaluating the reliability and validity of the scale by testing on 348 patients who had previously suffered from a cardiovascular disease. Following the evaluation, the items of the scale could be reduced to 22. The factor structure of SESAMeD was tested across exploratory factorial analysis and confirmatory factorial analysis, with both analyses confirming a robust adjustment for the bi-factorial structure. The two factors identified were: self-efficacy for the avoidance of determined unhealthy foods not recommended in the Mediterranean diet; and self-efficacy for the consumption of determined healthy foods recommended in this diet. The pattern of relations between the SESAMeD and the SESAMeD subscales and other different psychological variables (outcome expectancies, motivation, affective balance, and life satisfaction) supported the validity of the bi-factorial structure and provided strong evidence of construct validity. Cuadrado et al. (2018) have designed an instrument that can help healthcare professionals and researchers to assess patients’ confidence in managing to adhere to the Mediterranean diet, a psychological variable that may in fact affect adherence itself to this healthy eating habit. [NPID: personality, Mediterranean diet, cardiovascular disease, self-efficacy, motivation, life satisfaction]

Previous studies have connected the temperament trait with risk factors for chronic disease, but this 2018 study by Perälä and her team aim to examine the cross-sectional associations between temperament and diet. Firstly, information on the 1668 adults (aged 56-70, male and female) who took part in the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study were taken. Dietary consumption was determined by a validated 128-item food frequency questionnaire, while temperament was measured using the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire. The temperament trait was broken down by the following: novelty seeking (NS); harm avoidance (HA); reward dependence (RD); and persistence (P). Greater HA related to poorer diet quality (less vegetables, fruits, fish and a number of vitamins in the diet), whereas RD was linked to higher consumption of vegetables and vitamin E, and lower alcohol intake. The temperament trait NS was significantly connected to diets consisting of more fish, fat, alcohol, and less cereals, carbohydrates and milk products. P was not associated with any of the food groups or nutrients in this study. Perälä et al. (2018) was able to discover associations between temperament traits and diet, particularly noting the correlations between greater harm avoidance with poorer diet quality, and higher reward dependence with healthier diets. [NPID: personality, temperament, chronic disease, novelty, harm avoidance, reward dependence, reward, diet quality, vitamin E, alcohol]

The purpose of this 2020 cross-sectional study was to assess whether optimism is associated with overall diet quality, food group consumption and snacking. Ait-Hadad et al. (2020) retrieved data of 32,806 adult participants from the NutriNet-Santé study, including their dispositional optimism [obtained by using the Life-Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R)], overall diet quality (assessed by the mPNNS-Guideline Score), snacking behavior (evaluated by an ad hoc question), and consumption of 22 food groups (utilising at least 3 self-reported 24-h dietary records). The results revealed connections between optimism with greater overall diet quality, less snacking (OR = 0.89), and higher intakes of fruits and vegetables, seafood, whole grain, fats, dairy and meat substitutes, legumes, non-salted oleaginous fruits. However, negative associations also existed between optimism and consumption of meat and poultry, dairy products, milk-based desserts, sugar and confectionery. Although no association was found between optimism and energy intake, higher consumption of alcoholic beverages and appetisers were linked to the optimism trait. These findings suggest that optimism could be considered for the promotion of a healthy eating behavior. [NPID: personality, optimism, snacking, snacking, alcohol]

Since it has been proposed that personality may be linked to dietary choices, this 2014 review evaluated the evidence for an association between the Big Five dimensions of personality with dietary consumption, and compliance to dietary recommendations. Lunn et al. (2014) inspected findings from cross-sectional surveys conducted in various countries and cultures and noted a positive association between openness and consumption of fruits and vegetables, as well as a correlation between conscientiousness and healthy eating. Although no evidence was found that associated personality dimensions with adherence to dietary recommendations over time, conscientiousness was discovered to be connected to prosocial and health-promoting behaviors such as avoiding alcohol-related harm, binge-drinking, smoking, and adherence to medication regimens. Poor dieting is a known risk factor for becoming overweight/obese, and associated chronic lifestyle diseases. After revealing that higher conscientiousness was associated with behaviors beneficial to health, this review hypotheses that this personality trait may predict adoption of healthy dietary and other lifestyle recommendations. [NPID: personality, Big Five, openness, conscientiousness, binge drinking, smoking, obesity, chronic disease]

Since the personality traits neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness are linked with resilience (adaptability to challenging situations) and resilient people usually comply with favorable health behaviors, Tiainen et al. (2013) decided to study the associations between food and nutrient intake, personality traits and resilience. A validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to measure diet and the NEO-personality inventory to assess personality in 1681 subjects. After adjusting for various factors such as age and education, openness in men was found to be linked with higher vegetable consumption and lower intakes of chocolate and confectionery. In women, the openness trait also correlated to more vegetables in the diet, as well as fruits. Including more vegetables in the diet was also associated with extraversion in women although higher meat consumption was also linked. Moreover, agreeableness was associated with a lower soft drink and conscientiousness with a higher fruit intake in women. Interestingly, when resilient and non-resilient subjects were compared, resilience in women was found to be associated with higher consumption of vegetables, fruits, fish and fiber. These results suggest personality traits are associated with dietary intake - especially subjects with resilient personality profiles had healthier dietary intakes. The associations were also stronger in women than in men. [NPID: personality, neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, resilience, adaptability]

Keller & Siegrist (2015) took a random sample of 951 people from the general population and examined direct and indirect influences of the big five personality traits on eating styles and food choices. While high openness to experience and high agreeableness were both associated with low meat consumption, path models revealed that high openness to experience also equated to lower soft drink intake and high vegetable, fruit and salad consumption. Greater fruit and less meat consumption was also linked to conscientiousness (through promotion of restrained eating and reduction of external eating). In addition to this restrained eating and reduced external eating, those with high conscientiousness were prevented from consuming sweet and savory foods due to emotional eating. On the other hand, neuroticism promoted emotional and external eating and thereby encouraged eating sweet and savory food. Keller & Siegrist (2015) list many associations between personality traits with eating styles and food choices including extraversion with sweet and savory, meat and soft drink intake via advocating external eating. Furthermore, results suggest that neurotic and emotionally unstable individuals seem to adopt counter-regulatory external or emotional eating and eat high-energy dense sweet and savory foods. Whereas, highly conscientious individuals adopt regulatory dietary restraint and practice counter-regulatory emotional or external eating less, resulting in higher consumption of recommended and less intake of foods not recommended. The study found that the higher sociability of extroverted people seems to have negative effects on health. It was concluded that the more proximal, counter-regulatory eating styles such as emotional or external eating might be more successfully addressed in interventions to prevent overeating and overweight. [NPID: personality, big five personality traits, food choice, decision making, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, restrained eating, external eating, neuroticism, emotional eating, extraversion, restraint, overeating, overweight]