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Optimistic bias and food

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 2007

Susan Miles  and
Victoria Scaife
Susan Miles*
Affiliation:
Institute of Food Research, Norwich Research Park, Colney Lane, Norwich, NR4 7UA, UK
Victoria Scaife
Affiliation:
Institute of Food Research, Norwich Research Park, Colney Lane, Norwich, NR4 7UA, UK
*
*Corresponding author: Dr Susan Miles, fax +44 1603 507723, email susan.miles@bbsrc.ac.uk
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Abstract

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Food consumption patterns are influenced by a number of factors, including social and cultural factors. It is difficult to effect dietary change, and one possible barrier to dietary change is optimistic bias. Research indicates that individuals tend to believe that they are less likely to experience negative events, and more likely to experience positive events than their peers; this phenomenon is known as optimistic bias. It has been argued that optimistic bias may have a negative impact both on self-protective behaviour and on efforts to promote risk-reducing behaviours. The present article reviews the literature investigating optimistic bias specifically in the food domain. The review indicated that many food and nutrition issues are associated with optimistic bias. This has important implications for health-promotion activities in the food domain. The paper also describes key aspects of the methodology used to investigate optimistic bias and details the conditions under which optimistic bias has been demonstrated. The importance of identifying the causes of optimistic bias is discussed, and empirical attempts designed to reduce optimistic bias by countering the causes are reviewed. Finally, directions for future research are suggested.

Keywords

Optimistic biasNutritionFoodHealth promotion
Type
Research Article
Information
Nutrition Research Reviews , Volume 16 , Issue 1 , June 2003 , pp. 3 - 19
Copyright
Copyright © CABI Publishing 2003

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