Is Hunger the Best Sauce for Unfamiliar Foods? A Study Investigating the Effect of Hunger on Young Children's Food Intake of a Familiar and Unfamiliar Fruit

Abstract

Sufficient fruit and vegetable intake is crucial for healthy development, yet many children fail to meet the recommended levels, partly due to food rejection. This study aimed to identify an effective, easy-to-implement strategy to increase fruit intake in children by examining the impact of hunger on the consumption of a familiar and unfamiliar fruit. Additionally, it explored the moderating role of picky eating within this relationship. A total of 177 children aged 4–6 were assigned to a hungry condition (food-deprived for 3–4 h) or a non-hungry condition (food-deprived for less than 30 min). The children were then asked to taste either a familiar fruit (apple) or an unfamiliar fruit (lychee), with up to 9 pieces available for tasting. It was hypothesized that children in the hungry condition would consume more fruit compared to those in the non-hungry condition, and that intake would be higher for the familiar fruit than the unfamiliar fruit. Additionally, the effect of hunger on intake was expected to be moderated by picky eating, with a weaker effect in children who were more picky eaters. Results from a 2x2 ANOVA showed hunger significantly increased fruit consumption, regardless of familiarity, and the familiar fruit was consumed more than the unfamiliar fruit. No interaction between hunger and fruit familiarity was found, and picky eating did not moderate the relationship between hunger, familiarity, and intake. These findings suggest that mild hunger can be an effective strategy to increase children's fruit intake, and offering fruits when children are hungry may promote healthier eating.