Author(s)

Chenxuan Wang

Corresponding Author

Chenxuan Wang

Abstract

The theory of food preference is important for human diet and weight control. Stress can sometimes affect people’s appetite. This study investigates the impact of stress on different taste stimulation choices. We invited 24 participants (12 male and 12 female participants) to join the research. The Stroop test was employed to increase participants’ stress levels, and meditation was used to relax them. We set up questionnaires, which included meditation, Stroop, and food choice tests. We asked participants to choose their favorite food when different kinds of food (unhealthy savory, unhealthy sweet, healthy sweet, and healthy savory foods) appeared on their screen. Participants were required to perform the food-choice test twice, once before the Stroop test and once after the Stroop test, to elicit changes in food preference. They were also asked to evaluate their stress levels before each food-choice test. A computer was used to record each selection and stress level and integrate both together. The results revealed that in the group with the highest stress level, women showed a significant preference towards sweet food, whereas men showed subtle preferences. However, they all exhibited a significant inclination towards unhealthy foods when they were under stress. This study had a small sample size, and future research needs to not only find precise facilities to record participants’ stress levels but also improve the present research in the laboratory.

Keywords

taste stimulation, sex differences, stress impact