Food neophobia, Mediterranean diet adherence and acceptance of healthy foods prepared in gastronomic workshops by Spanish students.

Introduction: food neophobia can affect dietary variety and hedonic acceptance due to rejection of healthy foods.

Objective: to evaluate the impact of dietary neophobia on adherence to the Mediterranean diet and on the hedonic acceptance of healthy foods made in gastronomic workshops by schoolchildren.

Methodology: descriptive cross-sectional study of Primary (8-11) and Secondary (12-18) schoolchildren from Murcia, Spain, participating in gastronomic workshops, where two recipes were prepared and tasted (vegetables + blue fish and fruits). Food neophobia (FN) and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (KIDMED) were identified and each participant assessed the acceptance of each recipe using a hedonic scale (seven points).

Results: a total of 1,491 students (49.5% girls) participated in the study; 13.5% were neophobic and 61.1% presented optimal diet quality. A linear inverse relationship between the degree of neophobia and the quality of the diet (ρ[rho] = -0.31, p = 0.001) was found. High adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with lower neophobia and better hedonic scores, compared to intermediate or low adhesions (p < 0.0001). Neophobic schoolchildren presented significantly worse results in vegetable consumption, especially at the Secondary level, and in the acceptance of healthy preparations (p < 0.05). A good acceptance of the prepared preparations was associated with the usual adequate consumption of fruits, vegetables, fish and legumes.

Conclusion: food neophobia affects the adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the acceptance of healthy foods elaborated in gastronomic workshops by Spanish schoolchildren.