Food neophobia and its relationship with dietary quality and diversity in Turkish young adults: a cross-sectional study
Icer M.A. Sarıkaya B. Çelik E. Gezmen-Karadag M.
2025Taylor and Francis Ltd.
International Journal of Environmental Health Research
2025#35Issue 51401 - 1411 pp.
Food neophobia, the fear of trying new foods, may reduce dietary variety, posing risks for nutritional deficiencies. This study examined the links between food neophobia, dietary quality, and diversity among Turkish young adults. A cross-sectional study with 949 participants (470 males, 479 females) aged 18–35 years used the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS) and a 24-h dietary recall to assess food intake. Dietary diversity score (DDS), food variety score (FVS), mean adequacy ratio (MAR), and healthy eating index (HEI-2015) were calculated. The mean neophobia score was 37.07 ± 12.17, with 13.4% high, 67.9% average, and 18.8% low neophobia. The average neophobia group had higher diet quality scores (MAR, DDS, FVS) than the low and high neophobia groups (p < 0.01). Positive relationships with food neophobia were found for niacin, calcium, zinc, plant protein, and cholesterol (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that food neophobia may affect dietary quality variably, with certain micronutrients positively linked to it.
diet quality , dietary variety , Food neophobia
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Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Amasya University, Amasya, Turkey
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Kazakhstan
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics
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