Indulging in Tempting Yet Unhealthy Delights: Exploring the Moderating Influence of Gender and Motivation for Healthy and Sustainable Eating

Individuals frequently encounter alluring food temptations that can disrupt their efforts to follow a healthy diet. These temptations may trigger pleasurable thoughts and sensations, potentially leading to unhealthy eating habits and obesity, which misalign with the goals of sustainable food systems to promote overall well-being. However, there is limited knowledge regarding how individual differences such as gender and motivation for healthy eating might impact individuals’ responses to unhealthy food temptations. In an experimental investigation, 245 participants were exposed to a tasty but low-nutrient food product (potato crisps). The results provide several new insights: (a) when individuals’ motivation for healthy eating is low, pleasurable experiences have a positive impact on perceived dietary quality; (b) pleasurable feelings also directly reduce willingness to consume potato crisps; (c) gender influences the relationship between pleasure-feeling and willingness to eat, with a negative relationship for women and a non-significant relationship for men; and (d) among women, there is a positive relationship between arousal and willingness to eat, while this relationship is non-significant for men. This study adds to the body of knowledge already available on food temptations, nutrition, and sustainable eating.