Trait-like stability of sweet food preferences during diet-induced weight loss in women with overweight and obesity: Evidence from the Leeds food preference questionnaire

Introduction

Sweet taste preferences are known to influence food choice and diet quality, but the stability of these preferences over time – particularly during structured weight loss interventions – remains unclear. The present study explored the within person stability of sweet food preferences using the Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire (LFPQ), a validated, ecologically valid tool, during diet-induced weight loss in women with overweight/obesity.

Method

Forty-six women with overweight or obesity (mean age = 34.9 years, mean BMI = 29.2kg/m²) were randomly allocated to continuous or intermittent energy restriction interventions designed to achieve ≥5 % weight loss within 12 weeks. Sweet food preferences were assessed at baseline, week 2 and post-intervention. Stability of sweet food preferences was examined using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), at a single timepoint (ICC Single) and across multiple timepoints (ICC Average).

Results

Both diet interventions produced significant reductions in body weight (CER = - 4.93 kg, IER = -4.42 kg) and body fat (CER = -3.67 kg, IER = -3.04 kg) without differences between groups. No significant changes in sweet food preferences occurred during the intervention for either group. Sweet preferences showed moderate to good stability for single measurements (ICC Single: 0.564–0.750) and good to excellent stability across multiple timepoints (ICC Average: 0.795–0.900), indicating participants maintained their relative sweet preference position compared to others throughout the intervention.

Conclusion

Sweet food preferences remain stable during diet-induced weight loss in women with overweight/obesity. While exhibiting some day-to-day variations, sweet preferences demonstrate trait-like characteristics that persist despite significant changes in body weight and composition. These findings have important implications for weight management strategies, suggesting that interventions may need to work with, rather than to change, an individual’s inherent taste preference.