AppetitePub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-16DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2026.108465
Kimberly Mei Yi Low, Felicia Jia Hui Chan, Mary Foong-Fong Chong, Cindy Mei Jun Chan, Shahmir H. Ali
{"title":"Strategies young adults use to reduce sodium consumption in a family-led intervention: A photo elicitation study to inform contributors to acceptability and adoption","authors":"Kimberly Mei Yi Low, Felicia Jia Hui Chan, Mary Foong-Fong Chong, Cindy Mei Jun Chan, Shahmir H. Ali","doi":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108465","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108465","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Family-based approaches are increasingly emphasized for non-communicable disease prevention, yet how family dynamics shape the uptake of sodium-reduction practices remains underexplored in Southeast Asian households.</div></div><div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>To examine how Singaporean young adults initiated sodium-reduction strategies within their families and how relational and contextual factors influenced adoption and acceptability of these strategies.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Following a family-led sodium-reduction intervention, young adults and family members completed a photoelicitation study of post-intervention practices. Participants submitted 1 to 2 photographs of shared meals or sodium-reduction efforts, followed by online semi-structured interviews or family group discussions. Data were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed, with the Theory of Planned Behavior informing interpretation.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>The study included 22 participants from 11 families (11 young adults; 11 family members including parents, spouses, and siblings). Young adults described practical, relationship-sensitive strategies, including substituting lower-sodium products, using natural flavour enhancers, and providing real-time feedback during cooking. Approach and communication varied by relationship and household role, with more deferential messaging with elders, more direct exchanges with siblings, and more collaborative efforts with partners. Adoption and acceptability were supported by shared meals, emotional closeness, and supportive family climates, and challenged by entrenched habits, familiar taste preferences, and concerns about conflict.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Participants described tangible post-intervention changes in household food practices and highlighted how these changes were achieved through strategic, relationship-sensitive negotiation within everyday family life. Interventions may be strengthened by tailoring support to household roles and communication patterns to enhance adoption and acceptability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":242,"journal":{"name":"Appetite","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108465"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145996830","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AppetitePub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2025-12-22DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2025.108436
Rosalie Mourmans, Britt Fleischeuer, Pauline Dibbets, Katrijn Houben, AnoukE.M. Hendriks-Hartensveld, AnoukJ.P. van den Brand, Chantal Nederkoorn
{"title":"A taste of the past. Investigating memory bias for self-selected disliked foods in children","authors":"Rosalie Mourmans, Britt Fleischeuer, Pauline Dibbets, Katrijn Houben, AnoukE.M. Hendriks-Hartensveld, AnoukJ.P. van den Brand, Chantal Nederkoorn","doi":"10.1016/j.appet.2025.108436","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.appet.2025.108436","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food rejection is common in early childhood and can reduce children's intake of healthy foods, limiting the variety and overall quality of their diet. Despite its prevalence, the cognitive mechanisms that may contribute to food rejection are not yet well understood. Memory may be particularly important, as children rely on stored evaluations of foods (whether they previously liked or disliked them) to guide later acceptance or refusal. A relevant framework here is the negativity bias, the tendency to process negative information more strongly than positive information. If this extends to food, children might remember disliked foods better than liked ones, which could in turn reinforce avoidance. The present study tested whether children show enhanced memory for self-selected disliked foods compared to liked foods and neutral control items, and whether this effect is stronger in picky eaters. The study included 105 children (aged 4–6), who selected their five most liked and five most disliked foods from a set of 26 images. Children then completed a three-alternative forced-choice discrimination task, in which they identified the target picture previously shown among visually similar options. Results revealed no evidence of a negative memory bias: recall accuracy did not differ between liked, disliked, and control items. Food rejection behaviors were also unrelated to memory performance across all categories. However, age significantly predicted accuracy, with older children performing better overall. These findings suggest that a negative memory bias may not explain children's food rejection behaviors. Future studies may explore other cognitive mechanisms that influence how children perceive, evaluate, and respond to foods as well as additional factors such as familiarity and social influence.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":242,"journal":{"name":"Appetite","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108436"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145825568","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AppetitePub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2026.108461
Alison Wing Lam Wan , Derwin King Chung Chan , Kevin Kien Hoa Chung
{"title":"Contribution of parental feeding practices and home environmental factors to the eating behaviours of preschool children","authors":"Alison Wing Lam Wan , Derwin King Chung Chan , Kevin Kien Hoa Chung","doi":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108461","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108461","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>From family and ecological systems perspectives, parental feeding styles at the dyadic level play a proximal role in shaping young children's eating behaviours. However, far less is known about how broader family-level factors contribute to these behaviours. This cross-sectional study investigated the contribution of parental feeding styles and home environmental factors to the eating behaviours of preschool children. A total of 253 parent–child dyads were recruited from 16 kindergartens in Hong Kong, China. Parents completed validated questionnaires, namely the Parental Feeding Style Questionnaire and the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire, which assessed feeding styles (instrumental, emotional, encouragement to eat, and control over eating), the home environmental factors (mealtime structure, mealtime distractions, and household chaos), and children's appetite-trait eating behaviours. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses, controlling for demographic variables, were conducted. Parental feeding styles explained 3–12 % of the variance in children's eating behaviours. Notably, control over eating was associated with lower emotional overeating and reduced food fussiness, as well as with lower satiety responsiveness (i.e., greater appetite). Adding home environmental factors explained an additional 15 % of the variance beyond feeding styles, with significant incremental contributions observed for desire to drink, food responsiveness, and slowness in eating. These findings underscore that both proximal feeding styles and family-level home environmental factors uniquely and additively shape preschool children's eating behaviours. Interventions should therefore promote not only responsive and structured parental feeding styles but also structured mealtimes, reduced mealtime distractions, and a more organised household environment to support healthy eating in children.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":242,"journal":{"name":"Appetite","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108461"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AppetitePub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2026.108442
Cristina Stewart , Tess Davis , Esther K. Papies
{"title":"Plant-based diets among young women in Scotland: ‘Unless it's affordable, convenient, healthy, and familiar, it's a no’","authors":"Cristina Stewart , Tess Davis , Esther K. Papies","doi":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108442","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108442","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Moving towards more plant-based diets is a win-win for both human and planetary health. However, for successful adoption, such diets must be realistic and convenient. This study explored the factors influencing food choices among young women in Scotland and examined how they interpret and use plant-based and convenience food in their daily lives. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 women aged 18–24 and generated six themes using reflexive thematic analysis within a critical realist framework. We found meat consumption to be socially and culturally embedded, reinforced by family, peers, and social media (Theme 1). Participants expressed a sense of safety with familiar meat-based dishes and fear towards unfamiliar plant-based dishes (Theme 2). ‘Plant-based’ was widely perceived as meat alternatives only, which were rejected across health, taste, cost, and identity considerations. Although cost was the biggest driver of food choice, meat was perceived as a necessary expense, further justified by health motivations (Theme 3). Environmental concerns were less important, with participants demonstrating limited awareness about the environmental impact of food (Theme 4). Convenience was important, though ready meals were rejected in favour of batch cooking and quick-prep meals (Theme 5). Meat reduction was perceived as an all-or-nothing identity shift, with negative vegan stereotypes deterring even small reductions in intake (Theme 6). These findings highlight the need to reposition plant-based foods as affordable, convenient, healthy, and familiar, likely requiring wider food system changes. Further, health benefits of increased plant-based wholefoods and reduced meat consumption should be emphasised in government and industry messaging.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":242,"journal":{"name":"Appetite","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108442"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145916267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mechanisms of emotional eating: food approach bias covaries with affect on days with high food craving","authors":"Mareike Röttger, Sercan Kahveci, Jens Blechert, Matthias Burkard Aulbach, Hannah van Alebeek","doi":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108462","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108462","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Emotional eating (EE) - eating in response to emotions - has clinical relevance, yet its underlying mechanisms (how?) remain poorly understood. Questions also concern interindividual differences (who?), and the types of foods involved (what?). We hypothesized that negative affect would be linked to increased, and positive affect to decreased food approach bias (how?). These effects were expected to be moderated by trait EE (who?) and by the goal-congruency and hedonic value of the foods (what?).</div><div>In 76 participants with self-regulatory, diet-related goals, we measured positive and negative affect using ecological momentary assessment, and approach bias toward goal-congruent and -incongruent foods using a mobile approach-avoidance task, on nine midday assessments. Hedonic food characteristics were assessed with food-specific craving ratings in the evening, and trait EE with the Salzburg Emotional Eating Scale.</div><div>There was no direct association between affect and approach bias, nor one moderated by goal-congruency. Instead, affect and approach bias covaried on high-craving days: negative affect cooccurred with higher approach bias, while positive affect cooccurred with lower approach bias. These patterns were mainly present in participants reporting more intake during negative affect or less intake during positive affect (trait EE), respectively.</div><div>Our results highlight temporally dynamic relationships between affect and approach bias as potential mechanisms of EE (how?) – although eating behavior itself was not studied here. Affect-bias links emerged on high-craving days (when?) in trait emotional eaters (who?) but irrespective of specific food characteristics (what?). This opens avenues for further mechanistic research and targeted eHealth interventions (when and in whom).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":242,"journal":{"name":"Appetite","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108462"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146002739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AppetitePub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2026.108450
Joseph S. Bellitti , Tera L. Fazzino
{"title":"Testing the reinforcing properties of sodium in hyper-palatable and ultra-processed foods using an experimental randomized parallel arm design","authors":"Joseph S. Bellitti , Tera L. Fazzino","doi":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108450","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108450","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Research has indicated that the reinforcing properties of certain foods may drive excess energy intake and obesity risk. However, scientifically our understanding of what characteristics may modulate the reinforcing properties of such foods is limited. The study focused on foods with combinations of nutrients (sodium + fat or starchy carbohydrates) at moderate to high levels, termed hyper-palatable foods (HPF), which are hypothesized to be strong reinforcers. A randomized experiment using an online crowdsourced sample was conducted to examine whether sodium may modulate the reinforcing properties of HPF. A secondary aim examined whether ultra-processed food (UPF) status contributed to the reinforcing properties of food stimuli. Adults (N = 339) recruited online via Prolific were randomized to 1 of 2 study arms and presented with: 1) HPF-UPF (HPF that were also ultra-processed) (n = 5); or 2) HPF-only stimuli (n = 5). Comparator stimuli (n = 5) for both arms were matched food items without sodium. Participants completed visual analogue scale ratings of acute subjective effects and behavioral tasks assessing the reinforcing properties of HPF/HPF-UPF items vs matched items without sodium. There were significant differences between the HPF/HPF-UPF and matched items without sodium on all subjective effects (liking, wanting, etc; p-values <.001; ηp<sup>2</sup> = .34-.68), on demand elasticity (sensitivity to increasing prices) in a food purchase task (p < .001, ηp<sup>2</sup> = .16), and steeper discounting of delayed HPF/HPF-UPF rewards in a behavioral task (p values < .001, ηp<sup>2</sup> = .19-.37). Findings provide preliminary evidence suggesting HPF may have strong reinforcing properties that may be modulated via sodium.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":242,"journal":{"name":"Appetite","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108450"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145931566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AppetitePub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2026.108441
Crystal Seow , Brittany J. Johnson , Jennifer L. Black , Georgia Middleton
{"title":"“I do feel a lot of guilt about the lunchboxes”: Exploring caregiver perceptions and experiences of packing school lunches","authors":"Crystal Seow , Brittany J. Johnson , Jennifer L. Black , Georgia Middleton","doi":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108441","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108441","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>The absence of school-provided meals in Australia means caregivers are responsible for providing school lunches, which are a key contributor to children's overall diet. While packing school lunchboxes requires physical, cognitive, relational and emotional labour, there has been little investigation about Australian caregivers' understandings of these processes. This study therefore aimed to explore these perceptions, experiences and beliefs surrounding school lunchbox practices.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Qualitative phenomenological study using semi-structured interviews with South Australian caregivers of children aged 5–11 years. Interview questions explored experiences, perceptions and decision-making processes related to packing school lunches. Demographic data were collected via surveys. Interview transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with women (mean age: 42 years), most holding a university degree or higher (n = 11), employed outside the home (n = 11), and caring for an average of two children aged <1–19 years. Three themes were generated collectively highlighting the complexities of lunchbox packing including: 1) the cognitive, physical and relational work of lunchbox packing; 2) managing the ideal lunch, and 3) the emotional load of lunchbox packing.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study highlights the significant demands of lunchbox packing, as caregivers navigate multiple pressures from societal expectations, logistical challenges, and children's preferences with limited support. Participants found measuring up to lunchbox ideals challenging, feeling they must justify and manage their approaches accordingly. These findings emphasise the need for systemic approaches to better recognise and support the undervalued and complex work required to feed children on school days.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":242,"journal":{"name":"Appetite","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108441"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145922851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AppetitePub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2026.108451
Paige M. Cunningham , Cara T. Meehan , Kathleen L. Keller , Barbara J. Rolls
{"title":"Sensory-specific satiety and the influence of variety on snack intake in school-aged children","authors":"Paige M. Cunningham , Cara T. Meehan , Kathleen L. Keller , Barbara J. Rolls","doi":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108451","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108451","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food intake is influenced by the variety of foods available. While studies in adults indicate this effect is driven by sensory-specific satiety (SSS; the relative hedonic decline in a food as it is eaten), exploration of SSS in children has been limited. In this cluster randomized crossover study, across 2 days we served a 2-course snack to 31 children (6–12 y) attending local summer camps. The first course was 525 ml of either grapes (0.86 kcal/g; n = 14) or pretzels (3.9 kcal/g; n = 17), and the second course was 525 ml of the same food (low variety) or the other food (high variety). Before and after the first course, the children rated their liking and wanting of 6 foods (the food eaten in the first course + 5 others). Across participants, more was consumed in the high compared to the low variety condition (all p < 0.01). Liking and wanting for the eaten food declined more than for the uneaten foods (both p < 0.03). However, the effects of variety and SSS were smaller for the children who ate the grapes first compared to the pretzels, perhaps because they ate a greater weight of the low-energy dense first course (p < 0.01). While we found that children experience SSS, the findings highlight the complexity of satiation. Properties of the available foods (e.g. variety and energy density) likely affect the relative influence of factors such as decreased food appeal and physical satisfaction on the termination of eating.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":242,"journal":{"name":"Appetite","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108451"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145922961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AppetitePub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2026.108456
Xiaoyi Li , Shaorui Wang , Mingyue Xiao , Yicen Cui , Ximei Chen , Yong Liu , Hong Chen
{"title":"Altered insula resting-state functional connectivity correlates with impaired cognitive control in children with emotional undereating","authors":"Xiaoyi Li , Shaorui Wang , Mingyue Xiao , Yicen Cui , Ximei Chen , Yong Liu , Hong Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108456","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108456","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Eating less in response to negative emotions, called emotional undereating (EUE), is common in children, but research on the etiology of these behaviors is in its infancy. 91 children (aged 9–12, 46 females) completed EUE subscale of Children Eating Behavior Questionnaire and underwent resting-state fMRI. Of these, 43 participants also completed arrow task and 78 were followed up one year later. Compared to children with low-EUE, those with high-EUE exhibited fewer errors but longer reaction times, indicating over-control and reduced flexibility. Additionally, children with high-EUE revealed decreased resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) within the prefrontal cortex and altered connectivity of insula. Notably, rsFC between the insula and the temporal lobe mediate the relationship between EUE and arrow-task performance at baseline and positively predicted the arrow-task performance one year later. These findings identify a potential stable neural marker of impaired cognitive control in children with EUE and provide new insights into the neurobiological basis of emotional undereating in childhood.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":242,"journal":{"name":"Appetite","volume":"220 ","pages":"Article 108456"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AppetitePub Date : 2026-04-30DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2026.108567
Rian Pepping, Vincent Busch, Juliette Lukowski, Arnoud Verhoeff, Jacob C Seidell, Barbara Groot-Sluijsmans
{"title":"Healthy beverages in a sugary world: Dutch adolescents' perspectives on water and other healthy beverages; a qualitative multi-method study.","authors":"Rian Pepping, Vincent Busch, Juliette Lukowski, Arnoud Verhoeff, Jacob C Seidell, Barbara Groot-Sluijsmans","doi":"10.1016/j.appet.2026.108567","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2026.108567","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite extensive research on adolescents' sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, little is known about their perceptions, barriers and facilitators in relation to healthier beverages. The aim of this study is twofold: (1) to explore how adolescents conceptualise healthy beverages; (2) to gain a holistic understanding of the lived experiences that shape their behaviour with respect to healthy beverages. We used a qualitative multi-method approach, combining street intercept interviews, an interactive group session, and semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Sixty Dutch adolescents (aged 12-16) attending pre-vocational secondary schools were recruited using a combination of convenience and purposive sampling. Data were collected from April to June 2025 in the Netherlands, both online and in person, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis Dutch teenagers perceived water as the healthiest, while energy drinks and regular soft drinks were identified as unhealthy. Confusion persisted about the safety or the health effects of tap water, fruit juices and artificially sweetened beverages. This was fuelled largely by online influencers and marketing strategies. Adolescents struggled to identify truly healthy beverages due to grey areas, rumours, and mis- and disinformation, often amplified by platforms like TikTok. Scepticism about tap water safety and confusion about fruit juices further clouds their perceptions. Clear, consistent and discerning communication from scientific, governmental and public health organisations, along with stricter marketing regulations and strategies to counter misinformation, is essential to support young people in making healthier beverage choices. Additionally, there is a clear need for a broader range of healthy beverages that genuinely meet adolescent preferences.</p>","PeriodicalId":242,"journal":{"name":"Appetite","volume":" ","pages":"108567"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147809308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}