Dietary Variety May Increase Food Consumption Nearly 50%

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Dietary Variety May Increase Food Consumption Nearly 50%

Obesity, the result of more energy being consumed than expended, may be greatly influenced by the variety of foods in a person's diet, according to a recent review of related literature.

The authors reviewed 39 studies that examined dietary variety and its relationship to caloric intake and body composition, and 19 studies documenting food preferences, consumption and satiety. The research was composed of two parts: examining the effects of dietary variety on food intake, followed by exploring the effects of increasing dietary variety.

The research showed that a greater variety of foods (e.g. tastes and textures) at mealtime led to a significant increase in eating. For example, one study reported that subjects in a varied four-course meal ate 44% more food and 60% more calories than subjects who ate the same food for each of the four courses. The results of another study showed that participants consumed much more yogurt per course when provided with three flavors instead of one. Texture, taste and appearance all may be related to the amount of food a person consumes.

Conclusion: Many studies show that dietary variety may increase food consumption, despite other health benefits. This research indicates that reducing one's dietary variety of calorie-rich foods while increasing the variety of low-calorie fruits and vegetables may help prevent obesity. Thus it is possible to maintain the health benefits of eating many foods without increasing obesity.

Raynor HA, Epstein LH. Dietary variety, energy regulation, and obesity. Psychological Bulletin 2001:127(3), pp. 325-341.