Ultra-Processed Foods Elicit Higher Approach Motivation Than Unprocessed and Minimally Processed Foods

Abstract

BackgroundUltra-processed foods (UPF) are becoming extensively available in the food environments. UPF are industrial formulations that are designed to maximize palatability and consumption through a combination of calorie-dense ingredients and chemical additives. UPFs are also aggressively marketed, which may make them more attractive than unprocessed/minimally processed foods (UMPF). Since consumers' purchase decisions are guided by food-evoked emotions, we aimed to provide evidence that UPF visual cues trigger higher emotional responses and approach motivation than UMPF visual cues, with potential impacts on individuals' intention to consume the UPF over the UMPF.MethodsParticipants (n = 174; 144 women; mean age = 20.7 years; standard deviation = 4.35) performed two tasks. In the first task, 16 pictures of foods (8 UPF and 8 UMPF), and 74 pictures from other affective categories, were presented. After viewing each picture, the participants rated it along two basic dimensions of emotion through the Self-Assessment Manikin scale: pleasantness and arousal. In the second task, the participants viewed the same food pictures, and they rated their intention to consume the foods depicted in the pictures. Each picture was plotted in terms of its mean pleasantness and arousal ratings in a Cartesian plane, which resulted in an affective space.ResultsPictures of UPF and UMPF were positioned in the upper arm of the boomerang-shaped affective space that represents approach motivation. Pictures containing UPF triggered higher approach motivation and intention to consume than pictures containing UMPF. We also found a stronger association between emotional responses and intention to consume UPF relative to UMPF.ConclusionThese results shed new light on the role of ultra-processed foods evoked emotions that contribute to less healthy and sustainable food environments.

Nutrients or processing? An analysis of food and drink items from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey based on nutrient content, the NOVA classification and front of package traffic light labelling

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Diet Quality and Resilience through Adulthood: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the WELL for Life Study

“…Our findings add to the theoretical and empirical evidence suggesting that perceived resilience, perceived stress, and diet quality increase with age and are therefore modifiable. Considering that addressing mental health in behavioral intervention research is becoming increasingly important, resilience may be an important starting point in the development of effective dietary interventions for CVD prevention at all ages, but especially among early young adults (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24) [47][48][49].…”

Ultra-processed Food and Obesity: What Is the Evidence?

“…Evidence suggests UPFs may be ‘wanted’ more, but do not seem to be ‘liked’ to a greater extent during consumption. Before consumption, images of UPFs generate a strong appetitive drive [ 80 ], with greater motivational reactivity than MPFs or PFs [ 81 ], and greater approach motivation and intent to consume than MPFs [ 82 ]. During and after consumption, early preliminary evidence suggested that MPFs had a higher satiety potential than UPFs [ 83 , 84 ].…”