In a recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists revealed that the fear of new foods or food neophobia may lower the quality of dietary intake of a person. It can also increase the risk of lifestyle disorders including, but not limited to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
People with food neophobia suffers an eating behavioral trait in which they refuse to taste or eat food items that they are not familiar with or are completely new to them.
Markus Perola, from the Finish National Institute of Health and Welfare, stated that the findings have reinforced the idea that a versatile and healthy diet has an important and independent role in a person's health.
Scientists monitored individuals between 25 to 27 years old for seven years. According to experts, food neophobia is observed to be a hereditary trait which can easily be measured using the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS) questionnaire. The 10 questions chart the respondents eating behavior. This questionnaire was also used to measure and quantify the fear of new foods in the new study.
The fear to try new foods is common in children and in older demographic as well. Some similar traits to food neophobia include being picky and fussy when eating, which occurs in different age groups. Scientists point out that this eating behavior could affect dietary quality and health. The experts added that food neophobia is linked to poorer dietary quality. To explain, scientists pointed out that for food neophobic people, during the intake of fiber, monounsaturated fatty acids and protein may be lower, and the intake of saturated fat and salt is greater.
In addition, the scientists found out through the research the significant association between food neophobia, the adverse fatty acid profile, and the increased level of inflammatory markers in a person's blood.
This would result in an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular diseases.
While the common misconception is that impacts of eating behavior can be mediated through weight changes alone, the new study, however, reveals that the impacts of food neophobia emerged independently regardless of gender, living area, socioeconomic status, age, and weight.
According to Perola, if there is a way to intervene in deviant eating behaviors, while still in childhood, there would be a way to help prevent potential future health problems.
