Become part of an emerging research field, exploring the subjective nature of what individuals find pleasurable in food related contexts, and study the link to dietary choices and health

For the vast majority of human history and prehistory, the primary objective of seeking food was survival through the maintenance of energy homeostasis and the avoidance of starvation. In modern times, among well-nourished populations, most food consumption occurs for reasons other than acute energy deprivation. There is now a strong believe that a major cause of an increase in food intake associated with e.g. obesity is related to the hedonic (pleasure related) rather than the homeostatic system. Taken as a whole, the scientific literature suggests that the pleasurable effects of foods are multiple and highly involved in human eating behavior, but insight into the concept of ‘pleasure-driven eating’ is lacking. 

In this project you will explore if/how individuals feel pleasure around eating, the characteristics of the pleasurable eating experience and create profiles of segments in the Danish population depending on their ‘pleasure-driven eating’ style.