Food palatability, rheology, and meal patterning

Background: Overweight and obesity are largely of dietary origin and reflect food choice. Food palatability, eating patterns, and food form are important determinants of choice and energy balance. Methods: A review of the literature provides a characterization of the roles of these determinants of feeding. Results: Food palatability is the strongest predictor of intake where availability is not limiting. Whether the rewarding properties of palatable items lead to nonhomeostatic feeding and weight gain warrants further study. Positive energy balance is attributed to greater energy intake within eating events but also to a greater extent, increased eating frequency. Although the size and frequency of eating events may compensate for each other, interventions aimed at limiting the latter may be especially productive. One of the most marked dietary trends is an increase of energy derived from beverages. The weak dietary compensation that energy-yielding beverages elicit leads to positive energy balance. This, too, is a promising target for moderating energy intake. Conclusions: A better understanding of dietary factors promoting positive energy balance should reveal strategies for weight management.