Junk food or healthy food? The relationship between odor identification performance and dietary patterns among children and adolescents

IF 4.6 2区医学 Q1 BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

Appetite Pub Date : 2025-03-25 DOI:10.1016/j.appet.2025.107978

Han Zhou , Yi-qi Qiu , Qian-wen Ma , Lai-quan Zou

{"title":"Junk food or healthy food? The relationship between odor identification performance and dietary patterns among children and adolescents","authors":"Han Zhou , Yi-qi Qiu , Qian-wen Ma , Lai-quan Zou","doi":"10.1016/j.appet.2025.107978","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>Children and adolescents with an insecure dietary pattern are at risk of experiencing adverse health effects. In general, olfactory capacity is particularly important in shaping food-flavor perception, affecting nutritious food intake, and ultimately influencing eating behaviors such as food selection, appetite, and consumption. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the relationship between odor identification ability and dietary patterns in this population.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>607 children and adolescents (275 boys and 332 girls) aged 6–17 years from China were recruited for this study. Odor identification performance was assessed using the Universal Sniff (U-Sniff) test, and dietary patterns were measured using the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Children and adolescents who poorly behaved in the U-Sniff test exhibited a greater tendency to choose processed foods, beverages and snacks, while this tendency was mainly observed in children aged 6–8 years.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Better odor identification ability has a positive impact on children and adolescents’ choice for healthier foods in their daily dietary intake.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":242,"journal":{"name":"Appetite","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 107978"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Appetite","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S019566632500131X","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose

Children and adolescents with an insecure dietary pattern are at risk of experiencing adverse health effects. In general, olfactory capacity is particularly important in shaping food-flavor perception, affecting nutritious food intake, and ultimately influencing eating behaviors such as food selection, appetite, and consumption. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the relationship between odor identification ability and dietary patterns in this population.

Methods

607 children and adolescents (275 boys and 332 girls) aged 6–17 years from China were recruited for this study. Odor identification performance was assessed using the Universal Sniff (U-Sniff) test, and dietary patterns were measured using the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ).

Results

Children and adolescents who poorly behaved in the U-Sniff test exhibited a greater tendency to choose processed foods, beverages and snacks, while this tendency was mainly observed in children aged 6–8 years.

Conclusions

Better odor identification ability has a positive impact on children and adolescents’ choice for healthier foods in their daily dietary intake.

查看原文本刊更多论文

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Appetite 医学-行为科学

CiteScore

9.10

自引率

11.10%

发文量

566

审稿时长

13.4 weeks

期刊介绍： Appetite is an international research journal specializing in cultural, social, psychological, sensory and physiological influences on the selection and intake of foods and drinks. It covers normal and disordered eating and drinking and welcomes studies of both human and non-human animal behaviour toward food. Appetite publishes research reports, reviews and commentaries. Thematic special issues appear regularly. From time to time the journal carries abstracts from professional meetings. Submissions to Appetite are expected to be based primarily on observations directly related to the selection and intake of foods and drinks; papers that are primarily focused on topics such as nutrition or obesity will not be considered unless they specifically make a novel scientific contribution to the understanding of appetite in line with the journal's aims and scope.